


Succumb

by Audrina



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Abandonment Issues, Age Difference, Almost everyone is rich except Ben, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Armitage Hux is Rey's Uncle, Background GingerRose, Ben Solo Needs A Hug, Ben and Armitage Hux are best friends, Ben is 37, Both of them are consenting adults when things happen but still..., Cancer, Consensual Sex, Daddy Kink, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Falling In Love, Father/Daughter Incest, Forbidden Love, GSA, Good Uncle Armitage Hux, HEA, Han Solo is NOT a good father, Heavy Angst, Incest, Like seriously Ben is Rey's bio dad here, Loss of Virginity, Luke Skywalker is NOT a good uncle, Mentions of Abortion, Mentions of Cancer, Mentions of pregnancy and children, Mildly Dubious Consent, Nice Armitage Hux, Older Man/Younger Woman, Parent Death, Parent/Child Incest, Past Ben Solo/Tallisan Lintra, Past Pregnancy (NOT REY), Pining, Praise Kink, Rey & Ben Solo Are Related, Rey Needs A Hug (Star Wars), Rey is 18, Rey is both a Hux and a Palpatine, Rey's grandparents are shitty people, Semi-Public Sex, Size Difference, Size Kink, Slow Burn, This may be incest but it's a star-crossed lovers story at its core, Virgin Rey (Star Wars), background stormpilot, genetic sexual attraction
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-20
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-16 17:42:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 23,871
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29579748
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Audrina/pseuds/Audrina
Summary: After discovering he has a daughter from a previous relationship, Ben tries to make up for lost time and be the father Rey has always wanted, even as he battles his own growing attraction towards her.NOTE: Rey is 18 and Ben is 37 when they first meet.
Relationships: Armitage Hux/Rose Tico, Ben Solo/Tallisan Lintra, Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 127
Kudos: 166





	1. Reunion

**Author's Note:**

> Hey hey hey, I'm back from the land of the dead! And I know some of you guys are still waiting in on the next chapter of "Groom", and I promise I am still working on that. I just have more hurdles that I need to get past before I start writing it again.
> 
> In the mean time, I am here with my first actual incest fic. We already had pseudo-incest stuff with the stepfather/stepdaughter relationship between Ben and Rey in "Blossoming" and "Caught", but now, it's the real thing. No DNA tests needed. I will tell you right now they ARE father and daughter, although Ben didn't know of Rey's existence until they meet when she's 18 and he's 37. So they're both consenting adults, which makes this my first non-underage Reylo dark fic. 
> 
> The darkness of this fic explores more about not just the taboo subject of incest, but of a real, if not highly-debated phenomenon called Genetic Sexual Attraction. Brace for angst and drama. I'm not yet sure how many chapters there will be, and my updates might be slow. Please bookmark and subscribe to the fic so you can get email updates.
> 
> NO BETA for now, so please forgive any spelling and grammatical errors.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben receives a call from his past which shatters everything he knew to be true.

Ben trudged up the stairs of his apartment building, hand gripping the metal railing to keep himself steady. He wasn’t drunk or anything. Hell, he hadn’t drunk anything except coffee for the past few weeks, but he might as well have drunk himself to a stupor. Too much caffeine and too little sleep was taking its toll on him, but he would have to soldier on, just as he always had during crunch time. 

One more flight of stairs to go, and he willed his legs to dash up until he got to the 4th floor. There was an elevator, sure, but he avoided it if he could. Walking up and down the stairs was one of the few exercises he could still squeeze in between his schedule these days, and he needed to keep himself fit, especially now when he was just a few years shy away from forty.

He hurried to his apartment unit, fingers shaking as he inserted the key into the knob before letting himself in. He turned on the lights, eyes taking in the sparse furniture of his one bedroom studio apartment. Save for a few colorful prints of his concept art framed on the walls, everything else was monochromatic. He knew he could use some more color. Liven the place up, but he had never really cared much for interior design. Now, Tallie however…

Ben winced and threw his sling bag on the couch before marching off to the bathroom to wash his face and brush his teeth. He finished quickly, but found himself staring at his reflection on the mirror for a long while. Save for a few streaks of grey on the waves of his dark hair and some deepening wrinkles on his long, mole-dotted face, he hadn’t changed much over the years. He’d never been appreciative of his looks despite the few women in his life saying he was attractive. Actually, he had never believed any of them, except for one. Tallie was the first to make him feel…

He shook his head vigorously and started taking off his clothes. Why he was suddenly thinking of Tallie after nearly two decades was beyond him. He had tried not to think about her and he had mostly succeeded through the years, so he didn’t know what made tonight different. He must be more tired than he thought.

Slipping into a fresh pair of boxers, he fell heavily into bed, the mattress bouncing as he did. He would only have a few hours of precious sleep before he needed to head to work again, but that was okay. He was one of the lucky people who could go to sleep just like that, and his exhaustion was only going to help in that department.

He set his phone’s alarm for six before putting it on his nightstand. He was about to settle into a more comfortable position when his phone rang.

“Fuck,” he muttered under his breath. This better not be from work, he thought as he grabbed his phone. He’d done more than his fair share of overtime. He deserved a bit of sleep.

He put the phone up to his face, his eyes widening when he saw the name flashed across the screen: _Armie_.

Ben swallowed. He hadn’t seen or even heard from Armitage Hux in almost twenty years. Not since he and Tallie broke up, and he found himself letting out an ironic chuckle. He had just been thinking about Tallie, and now, her older brother and his former best friend was calling out of the blue. Go figure.

He sat up and watched the phone in his hand continue to ring and vibrate as he contemplated on whether or not to answer. His break up with Tallie had been a messy one, and the end of his friendship with Armie had been just as messy. He could still remember the last time he saw them--the Hux siblings--standing outside of their mansion, both of them telling him to leave and never talk to them again. And he hadn’t. Despite all that, he had at least hoped Armie would not throw away years of friendship and call him someday. Ben had given up on that hope a long time ago, and now…

His thumb pressed to accept the call and he put the phone against his ear. “Hey.”

“Hey.”

Ben swallowed another lump in his throat, his eyes beginning to sting. If he had known it would hurt this much to hear Armie’s voice, he wouldn’t have answered. In fact, he didn’t know why he answered in the first place. Loneliness maybe. Or rage. Some spite. He hadn’t made many friends over the years and usually kept to himself. Nobody had been able to understand and accept him like Armie and Tallie had, but they had discarded him like yesterday’s trash.

Anger brewing, he said, “That’s all you can say? Hey? Almost two decades and all I get is one word?”

“Ben…I know you’re angry and I--”

“You’re damned right, I’m angry!” Ben shot up to his feet and began pacing his room, one hand combing and clawing at his hair. “Tallie...I can understand to some degree why she would never want to speak to me again. But you...we’ve been friends since kindergarten, man! And yeah, I get that you should stand by your family, but what the fuck did I ever do to you?”

“Ben…”

“You know I would’ve been there for Tallie.” He was half-yelling now, refusing to let his voice crack even as years of frustration began to overwhelm him. “You know I would’ve done right by her. You know I would never have abandoned her. And you...you and I were like brothers! You were angry too, I get it. And you had your parents to take into account. But not one fuckin’ call, not one fuckin’ text. You threw away years and years of friendship and--”

“Tallie’s dead!”

The words seemed more like a thunder-clap, and Ben grew stock still. “What?”

“She’s gone.” Armie’s voice was cracking now, and Ben could hear his light sobs coming through the phone. “She died three days ago. Lymphoma.”

Ben took a few steps back and sank heavily at the edge of the bed. He had loved Tallie. Had wanted a future with her. But the hollowness in his chest wasn’t so much caused by the news Armie was telling, but rather something else. Something more painful than even his and Tallie’s break up.

It was his mother’s death, back when he was only twelve years old. Leia had died of lymphoma too.

“I...I’m sorry, Armie,” he managed to say after a time, and he meant it, though he was still processing his own emotions. Emptiness. Grief. Pain. All those things all at once, and he quickly shielded himself until all he felt was numbness.

Ben listened over the phone as Armie continued to sob. His friend had cried to him a few times over the course of their friendship, mostly from his break-ups and Ben had always let him cry it out before they talked it over. Armie may have cut him off years ago, but he couldn’t bring himself to not be there for him. It wasn’t in his nature to bail on anyone. He knew what it felt like to be abandoned, and he felt another scar open up into a fresh wound at the thought of his father, Han Solo.

He shook the thought away and waited until Armie had stopped crying, after which, he cleared his throat. “Do you...want to talk about it?”

“No, actually.” Armie let out a mournful chuckle. “I want you to do more than that. And I know I have no right to ask you this, and I probably deserve it if you say no, but it would mean the world to me if you attended the funeral.”

Ben found his free hand curling at the covers. This was the last thing he had expected, and his emotions were once again turned into turmoil. “Attend the funeral? Like...actually see you and show my face to your parents? To your dad?”

“You don’t have to worry about them. Especially not about Dad,” Armie assured. “I’ve talked to them about this and they’ve agreed to let you attend. They’re not happy about it, but they’re going to behave.”

Ben’s lips tightened into a fine line. His last encounter with Brendol Hux had ended with him staring into the barrel of his shotgun. And now, almost twenty years since that day, the man’s son was calling him and asking him to attend the funeral of his daughter. 

“You don’t have to attend if you don’t want to,” Armie said after a long moment of silence. “But I know Tallie was a big part of your life and despite what happened...I think she would want you to be there.”

Ben dragged a hand across his face and pressed the heel of his palm against an eye. He could feel dampness against his skin. This unexpected call from Armie in the middle of the night, all the happy and painful memories and emotions...it was all becoming too much to handle.

He took in a deep breath. He had come to a decision. “When is the funeral?”

* * *

Ben remembered the times when he would watch quietly as Tallie slept beside him. Beautiful. Full of life. But the woman he was staring at in the casket was only a shell of what she once was. Pale. Gaunt. No amount of professional makeup and styling of her blonde hair could give the illusion that she was just sleeping. She was dead. And while once, he would’ve wailed and broken down into tears, he felt only a dull ache. Maybe because it had been so long ago, and he was an entirely different man from the boy he was. Or maybe that she didn’t look like the Tallie he had once loved shielded him from more pain and anguish.

He felt a light pat on his shoulder, and turned to look at Armitage, who was wearing a black suit identical to his. Except for the fact that he was now sporting a beard, Armie hadn’t really changed much. He still had a shock of red-hair--inherited from his father--without even a single streak of grey. He still had the same pale complexion as his mother, more likely from his aversion to outdoor activities. Tallie was the only one of the Hux siblings who willingly got a tan.

It had been awkward seeing his best friend again for the first time in years, even more awkward to just greet him with a simple handshake. The unease between them had not abated, especially since Armie’s parents--Brendol Hux and Maratelle Palpatine-Hux--would not stop staring daggers at him as they sat at the front pew of the chapel.

“It’s almost time,” Armie whispered, and Ben nodded. He gave one last look at Tallie before walking to take his seat in the back row while Hux took his seat beside his parents.There was another person with the Huxes that Ben didn’t notice before. Quite possibly another relative. There were a lot of them in attendance along with Tallie’s friends, co-workers and employees of the Huxes and Palpatines. Most ignored him. Others whispered and pointed curiously at him. Not that it bothered him. He was a stranger. An intruder almost among the elite and opulent class. He had belonged to this world once. Been born into it before their family fell to ruin, no thanks to Han Solo…

He did his best to clear his head and focus. The last thing he needed right now was more unwanted memories.

He followed the attendees out as the casket was closed and taken to the hearse. The cemetery wasn’t very far--about a five minute drive, and he drove there in his blue Sedan, which stuck out like a sore thumb among the Benzes and sports cars in the convoy.

The service at the cemetery was held under the shade of a large tree, shielding mourners from the heat and brightness of the summer sun. Ben was at the fringes of the shade, having to sit at a lone seat at the back. He listened as the pastor spoke of Tallie, her goodness, her generous heart, all the people whose lives she had touched and Ben found himself bending over to bury his head in his palms. 

The pastor’s words were soon drowned out by all the memories he had of Tallie’s laughter, her encouraging words, her beautiful singing voice, all the breathtaking sounds she had made when they made love. Then, there was only her screaming. His last memory of her. The words--barbs she had thrown. The coldness in her voice as she told him to leave, that she never wanted to see him again.

He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and after dabbing his eyes, did his best to get himself together. The service was ending, and people were now standing around the casket to say their final farewell.

Ben stood up to move closer. Close enough to see men prepare the machinery needed to lower the casket, but not too close as to be seen by the Huxes. He didn’t want them to see him, not only because he didn’t want them glaring at him again, but also out of respect for their grief. His presence was already bringing them pain as it was, and he began to wonder if it was a selfish decision to attend the funeral in the first place. 

“ _...she would want you to be there…”_ Armie’s words rang through his head, and that brought him a small piece of relief. He wanted to believe it. That despite how their relationship had ended, that Tallie would still want him there. If he had been the first to go, he would’ve wanted her to be there on the last leg of his journey too.

He chanced a glance at the Huxes. Brendol and Maratelle--both dressed impeccably and fashionably--were stone-faced, shoulders pulled back and standing ram-rod straight. Armitage on the other hand had his shoulders stooped, and looked like he was on the verge of tears, but he was holding himself together, one arm over the shoulder of a young relative--or so he assumed--that he had seen sitting with the Huxes at the chapel earlier.

Ben couldn’t help but stare, curiosity getting the better of him. He had been around the Huxes enough to know that Armie and Tallie didn’t have any other siblings, and the few cousins they had were much older than they were. The girl with them looked to be around 17 or 18, but he couldn’t be sure given that she was wearing something better suited for someone younger--a black dress with long, puffy sleeves and billowing skirt which reached down to her knees, and trimmed with laces and frills. She looked almost like a Victorian doll, her shoulder-length, chestnut hair--which strangely reminded him of his mother’s--styled and curled to settle neatly over her shoulders.

Almost as if she sensed she was being watched, the girl looked up and stared straight at him. Even from afar, he could see she was crying, but the anguish in her face softened a little as she continued to stare at him, and he to her. 

Ben should tear his eyes away, he knew, but he couldn’t. The girl looked a lot like Tallie, but not quite. They shared the same complexion. Similar features. And she was beautiful. The kind of beautiful that knocked the wind out of his lungs and made him suck in a breath between his teeth. This had only ever happened to him with Tallie, and maybe the girl’s similarity to his ex was why he was having such a visceral reaction to her.

Ben continued to watch as the girl tugged on Armitage’s sleeve and whispered in his ear. Armie whispered something back and looked his way, acknowledging him with a nod before turning his gaze to his sister’s casket once again. Ben tried to do the same, but found himself looking back constantly at the girl with the Huxes.

Then came time to lower the casket into the earth, and an anguished cry such as he had never heard before rang through the cemetery. Whispers broke out, and Ben turned to the direction of the cries, only to find the girl from earlier practically on her knees, hands reaching out to the casket while Armitage held her back, shushing her even as he had tears streaming down her face. Brendol and Maratelle, however, didn’t shed a tear. In fact, they looked angry, scolding the girl and telling her not to make a scene, but the girl wouldn’t stop, arms outstretched as if to try to grab hold of the casket which was very quickly being lowered.

The crowd moved tighter in front of him until Ben could no longer see the Huxes, though the girl’s wails continued, shattering not only the silence of Tallie’s final resting place, but also breaking Ben’s heart. He had the fiercest urge to go through the crowd and pull the girl in his arms to comfort her, and it was a feeling that confused and frightened him in its intensity.

Tallie’s death. The reminder of his mother’s own death. His family’s fall from grace. His father. This girl. Too much. It was all too much.

Ben pivoted and practically fled to his car. Away from the Huxes. Away from the mourners. Away from the girl’s cries. Away from the maelström of emotions that swirled and twisted at his insides.

* * *

He had wanted to leave right away, but Ben had promised Armie he would stay for the funeral reception. And so he did, taking care to stay in one corner of the spacious dining room of the Hux mansion, nibbling on some hors d'oeuvre and sipping a flute of champagne. There was a buffet, but he couldn’t bring himself to eat. His stomach was still in knots and he couldn’t trust himself to keep his food down.

From the corner of his eye, he saw Armie approach. “Hey.”

“Hey,” he said back, trying but failing to smile.

“I’m really glad you came,” Armie said in a hurry, clearly still uneasy, clearly not wanting anymore awkward silence between them. “It’s what Tallie would’ve wanted.”

“So I’ve been told.” Again, Ben tried to smile, and this time succeeded in lifting up the corners of his mouth a little. “How’ve you been, Armie? I mean, you know...since the last time we saw each other?”

“Oh, you know.” Armie shrugged. “Just going through the motions. I’m now Vice President of First Order Enterprises.”

“Ah, nice. Taking over the family business, huh?”

“As per my father and grandfather’s wishes I’m afraid. It has its ups and downs, but overall, I’m enjoying it. And you? Did you ever manage to get that art degree?”

“I did, actually.” Ben’s smile widened now. “I’m the lead video game concept and 3D artist at H-Inu Studios.”

“What?! No way!” Armie’s green eyes lit up, as Ben knew it would, and when his friend punched him lightly on the shoulder, he felt elated. It was almost as if they were back to how they were all those years ago. “So you actually went and did it. What you’ve always dreamed of. You son of a gun.”

“Yeah, I did.” Ben took one more sip of champagne before setting the flute down on the corner table beside them. “I had to work my ass off and build a good enough portfolio before I got in. Been working there for over ten years now.”

“Wow. I’m proud of you, man,” Armie said, and Ben could feel it was genuine. “At least one of us got to fulfill their dream.”

“You would’ve made a great game developer, you know,” Ben offered.

“Yeah, well…” Armie turned to look across the room. “I’ve made my peace with the fact that this is my path.”

 _“Or the path your parents chose for you,”_ Ben thought but didn’t say as he followed Armie’s gaze. He was looking at his parents, who were standing at the opposite end of the room, conversing with a few older guests. Standing beside Maratelle was the girl. There was already laughter and levity in the room, but the girl seemed to be the only one still somber, and once again, Ben felt the need to go and comfort her. He quickly shook the feeling away.

Armitage cleared his throat. “You remember when you started crushing on Tallie?”

Ben blinked and looked back at his friend. “Yeah. I was 17, I think. She was 16.” He paused for a bit. “It was kind of weird, since I’ve been friends with her since forever, And then one day, I just looked at her and it’s like...different, you know?”

Armie nodded with a smile. “Yeah. You wouldn’t stop staring at her when you came over to play video games. And when I saw you let her win every single match when you two played, that’s when I knew you were a goner.”

“I was that obvious, huh?” Ben chuckled.

“Crystal clear,” Armie agreed. “And remember those times you two snuck out? And I had to cover for your asses?”

“And because of that, we never got caught.” Ben almost laughed, but caught himself as memories with Tallie, both happy and painful, returned. “I...really thought it would work out, you know. Me and Tallie.”

“I did, too,” Armie agreed, and lowered his head. They lapsed into silence and Ben looked elsewhere just to get away from the awkwardness of it all.

That was when he found himself staring back at the girl from earlier. She was still standing beside Maratelle, who was still chatting away with their guests. However this time, the girl was staring back at him. She wasn’t smiling or anything, but her gaze was intense. He couldn’t look away.

Unable to stop himself, Ben asked, “Who’s that girl with your mom?”

“Hmm?” Armie lifted his head to look. He was quiet for a moment, before he said, “That’s my niece. Tallie’s daughter.”

“Oh.” Ben tried his best to stay stoic, even as the news of Tallie having a daughter shook him. He had not expected that at all, and he wasn’t sure how he felt about it. “Well...whoever her husband is must’ve gotten your parents’ approval, huh?”

Armie was quiet again before he inhaled deeply. “Tallie never married.”

“Oh.” Ben said again, not quite knowing what to say. Some part of him...a part he thought had died long ago...was strangely glad. Glad that maybe, just maybe Tallie wanted to marry him and him alone, just as she had sworn all those years ago. It was a small comfort, which was quickly snatched away by the mere existence of the girl across the room. Tallie’s daughter. Because Tallie _had_ moved on. She had made love to another man and bore a child.

More unwanted memories assailed him, especially of his and Tallie’s last conversation over the phone. He tried to push it away, thoughts scrambling to segue to another topic of conversation but Armie spoke first.

“Ben...there’s actually another reason I wanted you to come here today,” Armie began, his tone grave. “My parents are obviously not happy, but it’s not just Tallie who would’ve wanted you to be here. My...uhm...niece. She wanted you to come here too.”

“Your niece?” Ben looked up across the room again, but the girl was no longer there. He turned back to Armie. “Why would she want me here?”

Armie sighed heavily. “Look. This isn’t easy for me at all. Telling you all this. Revisiting and reopening old wounds but...do you remember the last time you talked to Tallie? And what happened the last time we saw each other?”

Ben nodded and looked down at his shoes. Armie was right. Revisiting this particular memory was excruciating. Of Tallie, calling him a few weeks after their break up to tell him she was pregnant with their baby and that she was going to get an abortion. He remembered pleading with her, remembered going to the Hux’s mansion only to have Brendol Hux threaten to blow his brains out. Tallie and Armie had stopped their father, and Ben had hoped to change Tallie’s mind but she had told him it was done, that she had gotten an abortion before telling him to leave and never speak to her again. Armie had cut ties with him that same day too. “It’s uhm...yeah. I mean, I know it’s ultimately her decision. It’s her body. But Armie, I really would’ve taken care of her. I would’ve worked myself to the bone to make sure she was comfortable. I would’ve been able to support our family and--”

“I know you would have,” Armie cut in. “I don’t question that at all. And...look. Tallie made some mistakes. She’s just human. And I...I don’t want you to think badly of her at all, but she had to do what she had to do.”

“I know.” Ben nodded in understanding. Because he really did understand. Except for Armie, the Huxes had never approved of his and Tallie’s relationship. They probably would’ve been more accepting had Han Solo not dragged the entire family down with him and into social and financial ruin. “Let’s face it, Armie. Your entire family sees me as some low-class citizen. Which I am compared to you guys. I earn a decent living, but nothing that could match even a smidgen of your income. So yeah, I actually get where your parents are coming from and why Tallie felt the need to get an abortion. We were too young and--”

“Tallie never went through with the abortion.”

Ben froze where he stood. The entire room was still full of chatter, but for a second, it felt like everything fell silent as his mind tried to catch up with the words his friend had just uttered.

It took a long while for him to snap back into his senses, and a shaky smile crept across his lips, even as his brows knitted together. “What? No. No. She told me--”

“She lied to you, okay?” Armie’s voice had taken on a hard edge. “I was with her at the clinic. She chickened out at the last minute. And...fuck! I’m so sorry, Ben.”

Ben stared as Armie looked everywhere but at him. The wheels began to turn, spinning faster and faster until it hit him like a tidal wave. “Wait...are you saying…”

“Hi, Uncle Armie,” came a cheery voice, and Ben turned to find Armitage’s niece--Tallie’s daughter--walking towards them before standing by her uncle’s side. “Aren’t you going to introduce me to your friend?”

The girl was smiling for the first time that day. Her smile was bright, almost blinding, and even her eyes seemed to sparkle.

And that was when Ben realized her eyes were the same hazel color as his.

“Sure, honey,” Armie said and put a hand over the girls’ shoulder. “Ben, this is Reyllie Hux. And Rey, this is Benjamin Solo. Your father.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's quite a lengthy chapter. I had initially wanted to split this into two, but I wanted Ben and Rey introduced on the get go. More drama ahead!


	2. Lies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben is thrown into further turmoil, not just from being introduced to his daughter Rey, but also from the weight of the decisions he would have to make.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE: Sorry for those who received a notice and couldn't find the link. I had to delete the chapter for reasons.
> 
> I hope it's not too soon for an update. I needed to get this out of my system. Just to let you know ahead of time though, updates will not be as constant. It's just that this is as far as I have planned, although I have made bullet points on what would happen in future chapters. I just don't know where and how to start the third chapter. I have a few ideas, but I need to figure out which route to take.
> 
> Anyway, here's an early update for you guys. Thank you so much to everyone who left kudos and comments! It keeps me going and inspired. Now, on to the next chapter.
> 
> NO BETA for now. Please forgive the spelling and grammar errors.

Reyllie’s smile widened the moment Armie introduced him as her father. It was a stark difference from earlier in the cemetery, when her expression was contorted by grief and tears were streaming down her cheeks. Ben had wanted to go to comfort her then, the ferocity of his emotions forcing him to flee. And now he wonders if some part of him had instinctively known.

Still with her radiant smile--so like that of her mother’s--Reyllie held out her hand to him. “It’s nice to finally meet you, sir.”

Ben looked down at her hand before taking it in his. His hand dwarfed hers, her grip a little limp, and shaky, as though she shared his nervousness. After a couple of shakes, he withdrew and slipped his hands in his pockets. His skin was still tingling from touching hers. So smooth against his calloused ones.

He did his best to return her smile, even as he was screaming inside. He didn’t know how he managed to keep it together. Armie had just dropped a bombshell, of Tallie lying about getting an abortion, and before he could even process the news, he was quickly being introduced to Tallie’s daughter.  _ His  _ daughter! 

He swallowed as Reyllie continued to stare up at him, as if taking him in, just as he was taking her in. He wanted to deny it. It couldn’t be true. Over half of his life, he had lived with the knowledge that Tallie had terminated the pregnancy. He had long ago come to accept it. And now to find out that was all a lie...and with the evidence staring back at him, with those hazel eyes mirroring his…

“Armitage.”

The intrusion of Brendol Hux’s voice cut through the tumult of Ben’s thoughts, and he turned to see the Hux patriarch stepping up to stand beside his son and granddaughter. Maratelle followed close behind.

Brendol glanced at him, and Ben had to stop himself from trembling. Armie and Tallie’s father had always intimidated him, and even with most of his red hair having turned grey, and him gaining several hefty pounds, he was still quite a presence. Not even Ben’s towering height could save him from reverting back to the teenager he once was, when one look from the man made him wish he’d disappear off the face of the earth.

“I...I’m sorry for your loss, sir,” Ben managed to say, though he couldn’t hold eye contact. Brendol was still glaring at him, and didn’t even acknowledge his condolences. Their last meeting had been terrifying to say the least, and though this was uncomfortable, at least he didn’t have a shotgun to his face.

Brendol gave him a quick once over before turning to his son. “Armitage, why don’t you bring your friend with us to my study so we can catch up?”

“Can I come too?” Reyllie asked.

“No,” Brendol snapped. Reyllie practically jumped from her grandfather’s curt answer, and Ben gritted his teeth at how the girl’s smile quickly disappeared. “Maratelle, go take your granddaughter elsewhere. Armitage’s friend and I need to talk.”

“Of course, dear,” Maratelle replied in a honeyed, if not sarcastic tone. Ben had known for a long time that there was no love lost between Brendol and his wife. Some things never really change, he thought.

Maratelle gave him a once over just as her husband did, wrinkling her nose at him before flipping her obviously dyed blonde hair and pulling sharply at Reyllie’s arm.

“Ow, Grandmother! My arm--”

“Hush!” Maratelle hissed. “You better not make another scene like you did at the cemetery. You’ve already embarrassed me enough!”

Ben watched Maratelle drag Reyllie away, the girl turning to look at him one last time before she and her grandmother exited the dining room. 

The hands in his pockets turned into fists. He didn’t know this girl. She was practically a stranger to him, but any decent human being would feel bad seeing how Maratelle treated her granddaughter. It was almost no different from the way she had treated her own daughter back when they were younger. It was all about her and her image. Vain woman.

“Let’s go to my study,” Brendol said, cutting through Ben’s angry musings. He swallowed before walking beside Armitage, following Brendol through the large house until they reached the double doors which led to his home office.

Once inside, Ben surreptitiously looked around. He had been to the Hux mansion more times than he could count back in the day, and it had always felt more like a museum than a home. Until now, it was still full of expensive paintings, statues, furniture, and fragile display pieces that had no practical use except for being status symbols, and the same was true for Brendol’s study. Everything reeked of excess, and he had to take great pains not to knock anything over.

Brendol lifted a hand to stop him once he had reached the middle of the room and in front of the large, mahogany desk. Ben took his hands out of his pockets and clasped it in front of him, watching as Brendol took his seat behind the desk, his son walking over to stand beside him.

Ben gave a quick glance at Armitage, but his friend’s eyes were downcast, and he was twisting his lips--a long-formed habit to indicate nervousness. That didn’t help with his own anxiety, and Ben moved his gaze towards Brendol. The room was dim, the curtains having been drawn, and the lone source of light being the antique lampshade on the desk, casting a yellow glow and harsh shadows all throughout the study. It added to an already oppressive atmosphere.

“I’m going to cut to the chase,” Brendol began and leaned forward, hands clasped on the desk. “I did not and still do not want you here. The only reason you are is because of my granddaughter. She has this idiotic notion that you could somehow help her cope with the loss of her mother. Kept begging me to let her meet you.”

Ben didn’t say a word. Brendol turned to eye his son sharply before turning back to him again. “To be frank, I’d rather she not know you at all. But here we are. She has met you. There’s no going back from that. And if you are to continue to be a presence in her life from here on out, you need to be on the same page as the rest of the family.”

Ben remained quiet. He wasn’t exactly sure what Brendol was getting at, but he sensed it couldn’t be good.

After a moment, Brendol spoke again. “Reyllie doesn’t know that Tallie had wanted to abort her. All she knows is that her mother wanted to keep her, but you bailed on them because you couldn’t handle the responsibility.”

This made Ben snap his eyes up and grit his teeth. “That’s not true.”

“It’s the truth Reyllie has known all her life,” Brendol replied, his tone sharp. “And if you want to have her in yours, then you best keep it that way. Do you understand?”

Ben tried to open his mouth to speak, but words failed him. Tallie didn’t just lie to him. She and her entire family had lied to Reyllie about  _ everything _ . And now, Brendol was demanding he keep up with the lie, and he didn’t want to. He didn’t want to be involved with the Huxes again, and he wasn’t sure he wanted to reconnect with a daughter he didn’t even know existed until mere moments ago.

“Do. You. Understand?” Brendol repeated, punctuating each word and shaking Ben from his thoughts.

His immediate reaction was to say no, but the memory of Rey looking back at him as she was dragged away by her grandmother suddenly flashed in his mind.

“I’ll think about it,” he answered.

At this, Brendol unclasped his hands and leaned back against his high-back chair. “You better. Or you could simply make all our lives easier by bailing on Reyllie again.”

Ben pulled his shoulders back. He was seething, but he kept his anger in check as he said, “I never bailed on her, nor would I have had I known. I wasn’t even given a choice.”

“And now, you are, and you should be grateful I’m giving you the choice.” Brendol shot back. “You can either reconnect with Reyllie under my terms, or you can leave and never have to deal with any of these complications again. It’s entirely up to you.

“Now. If you will excuse me, I still have guests to attend to.” Brendol stood from his desk and walked out of the study, bumping Ben’s shoulder on his way out.

It wasn’t until the double doors closed that Armie spoke for the first time since they entered the study. “Ben? Are you alright?”

Ben took in a deep breath. Then another. And another. No, he wasn’t alright. He was close to hyperventilating. Suffocating. 

He turned and stormed out of the study, Armie running after him and calling his name. But he didn’t stop. He needed to get out. Needed some air. Needed to breathe. He was drowning in the tumultuous sea of emotions after being subjected to one revelation after another without being allowed a second to process anything.

His feet carried him to the large garden at the back of the mansion, where he, Armie and Tallie had often played as kids. He quickly shook those thoughts away. He didn’t come here to reminisce. He came here to get away and think.

A breathless Armitage caught up with him a few moments later. “Man. Either you walk really fast or I need more exercise.”

Ben ignored him and started to pace, rubbing his lips repeatedly as he did. He tried to piece together his thoughts but they were all so jumbled up. He didn’t even know where to begin.

“Ben. I get it. You’re mad--”

“Of course I’m mad!” he snapped. “I came here to say goodbye to Tallie and patch things up with you. Not be slapped with news that I had a daughter all this time!”

“Look. I know it’s too much all at once. And I completely understand why you’re angry,” Armie said calmly, which seemed to irritate him more. “But Ben...Rey has been asking to meet you ever since Tallie got a terminal diagnosis a year ago. Tallie backed her up and tried to talk my parents into it but they refused, and the only reason they agreed was because Rey got depressed, even more so when Tallie’s health deteriorated.”

This time, Ben stopped pacing and looked at Armie. He looked desperate.

“Rey barely ate,” he continued. “Barely slept. Barely came out of her room. It wasn’t a protest or anything. She’s not like that. She barely even threw a tantrum as a kid. But the inevitability of losing Tallie really got to her, and the only thing that snapped her out of it was when I promised I would do everything in my power to help her reconnect with you.”

Ben felt a twinge in his heart. He knew Armie was telling the truth, and he was thrown back to a time when he too fell into deep depression. It was right after he last saw Tallie, after she told him... _ lied to him _ ...about the abortion. He had barely been able to pick himself up after that, and he found himself aching for Reyllie.

“You saw yourself how happy she was to meet you earlier,” Armie pointed out. “I haven’t seen her that happy in a long while.”

Ben shut his eyes and lowered his head, clearing his thoughts as much as he could. He was already all torn up by Brendol’s ultimatums, and Armitage wasn’t helping. He absolutely did  _ not _ want to continue the lie that he was the father who had abandoned his pregnant girlfriend when she needed him the most. He wasn’t like that. He had taken pains not to be like that. To be like his father. It wasn’t in his nature to abandon anyone, let alone his friends and family. But if he chose to stay, that would mean he would have to tarnish his own image to his daughter so the Huxes could keep theirs clean. And if he left, he would essentially be reinforcing the lie. That he was an irresponsible dad. He couldn’t win either way. The only good thing if he decided not to get involved was he wouldn’t have to deal with all the drama and emotional baggage.

Armie must’ve sensed his hesitation, because he added, “Ben, even  _ if _ my parents had agreed for you and Rey to reconnect before Tallie died, Dad would still have demanded the same things. He was right when he said it’s the only truth Rey knows. That you left them because you didn’t want to take responsibility. And except for that one thing, Tallie never painted you as the bad guy. She told Rey only good things about you, which I guess fueled her desire to meet you.

“I know this is a lot to ask of you,” Armie continued before Ben could even think. “I know the easy way out is just to leave. But I’m begging you right now not to. Please. For Rey’s sake. I know you don’t have any emotional attachment to her right now, but she’s a wonderful girl with a beautiful heart who has missed out on having a father figure. I tried to fill in those shoes but I know I will never be enough. And it’s not just her. You missed out on seeing her grow up too.”

“Yeah?” Ben let out a bitter laugh. “And who’s fault is that?”

Armie looked down at his shoes. “I’m sorry. Tallie...my parents...even I made mistakes. But what’s done is done.” After a moment, he looked up again, eyes imploring. “Ben…don’t rob your daughter or yourself of this opportunity. She already lost one parent. She can’t lose another one so soon after meeting him.”

Ben felt his jaw clench, and he started pacing again. He knew what this was. This was manipulation. It was downright emotional blackmail. He knew he shouldn’t give in. He couldn’t put himself through that again especially for the family that had brought him so much pain. He didn’t owe them a damned thing. 

And yet…

“Uncle Armie?”

Ben stopped dead in his tracks and looked up to see Reyllie coming out of the house and into the garden. The sun was starting to set, but there was enough daylight to put a golden glow on her skin. It was mesmerizing to watch.

“Grandmother’s calling for you.” She was addressing her uncle, but her eyes were constantly on Ben. “It’s time to see the guests out.”

“Okay, honey.” Armie patted her shoulder before heading out, not even excusing himself from Ben. He wasn’t sure if he was scared of his own mother, or if he wanted to cut the conversation short. 

And then, he was alone in the garden with Reyllie, and it dawned on Ben that this was what Armie might have wanted. To deliberately leave him alone with her so they would be forced to talk. And he didn’t want to. He didn’t want to be faced with this flesh and blood evidence of love and lies. Didn’t want to be further pulled into the Huxes schemes.

And yet…

He dared a look at the girl before him. She was still staring with those intense hazel eyes which was without a doubt inherited from him. But she didn’t speak. And she must’ve sensed his unease, because the smile that formed on her lips wasn’t as bright, and her shoulders were tense. She gave him a slight nod and turned to leave.

“Hey, kid.” The words were out before Ben could stop them.

Reyllie paused and looked back at him. She looked a bit annoyed, and it reminded him of his own expression whenever he was irritated. “I’m not a kid. I’m already 18, thank you very much.”

She had inherited Tallie’s sarcasm, he thought forlornly. Ben made a quick mental calculation. He got Tallie pregnant when she was 17, and he was 18. Add about 9 months for the pregnancy, and the ages lined up. She was  _ his _ daughter. And she was legal.

He hurriedly pushed the thought away. Where the fuck did that even come from?

“Sorry, Reyllie. I…”

“Rey,” she corrected, and turned to fully face him. “ Please, call me Rey.”

“Rey,” Ben repeated, testing the name on his tongue. “Okay.”

Rey’s smile brightened a little. “Uhm...what should I call you? Dad? Daddy?”

Ben almost choked, and he felt blood rush up to his cheeks. He didn’t even want to entertain why. “No. I don’t think we’re there yet. Ben is fine.”

“Okay, Ben.” Rey nodded, and once again, they lapsed into awkward silence.

Ben reached up to comb a hand through his hair to fix it. He wasn’t sure why he was suddenly self-conscious. “Listen, Rey. I know that us meeting like this...it’s not ideal. It’s a very emotional time.”

“I know,” Rey agreed in a soft voice and reached up to tuck some stray strands of hair behind her ear. “But I really wanted to meet you. I wanted you here.”

“I know. Your uncle told me that.” Ben sighed as he carefully chose his next words. “Look. I’m...I don’t really know the first thing about being a parent. I’m pretty sure Armie has been more like a father than an uncle to you. And I don’t see how I can still have a place in your life or if I could even contribute anything to it.”

“Uncle Armie has been like a father. True. But it’s just...different.” Rey bit her lower lip, making it even rosier than it already was, and Ben found himself fixated with her mouth as she talked. “I see kids growing up with their dads. With their families whole. Uncle Armie tried, but there’s just an emptiness that he can’t fill. I was hoping that...that you could.”

Ben bit at the inside of his cheek. That was an enormous responsibility. One that he wasn’t sure he could or should take on.

“What if I can’t?” he asked after a moment of contemplation. “What if after all this, you’ll just end up hating me? You probably already do given...given the circumstances.” He didn’t want to perpetuate the lies Brendol had demanded of him. But this was the closest he would get to it. For now.

“I don’t hate you,” Rey said, still in that soft voice that made him weak-kneed. And the way she was looking at him...with those eyes that were the same color as his...it made his heart pound in a way it hadn’t in almost forever. “Though to be honest, I’m scared that  _ you  _ might end up hating  _ me _ . But we won’t know unless we try, right?”

Ben’s heart was pounding faster now. Somehow, he already knew that he would never be able to hate this girl. He wanted to reassure her that it would never happen, but it was like he had his tongue stuck at the roof of his mouth.

After a prolonged silence, Rey’s face started to crumble, and she looked down at her shoes. “If you don’t want to...it’s fine. I’m...I’m just glad to have met you. At least once. So thank you for coming, Ben. You have no idea how much this means to me. Thank you.”

She looked up and gave him another small smile before turning to the direction of the mansion.

“Rey, wait.” Without thinking, Ben reached out to wrap a hand around her thin wrist, stopping her. He could feel her tremble against his fingers, and she slowly turned her gaze to where he was holding her wrist.

“Sorry.” He quickly let go, his hand once again tingling just like when they had shared a handshake earlier. 

“It’s alright,” Rey assured, facing him fully once more. He noticed the way she gently ran her delicate fingers over her wrist, and he felt a sudden flurry of emotions swell inside of him. Warm. Inviting. Fierce.

_ Paternal _ , he told himself repeatedly. It had to be. This swell of emotion was just an overwhelming need for connection with the child--the daughter--he thought he had lost. His last connection with the woman who was once the love of his life. His last chance at mending the bonds that had been broken by secrets and lies. 

He cleared his throat. He had made his decision. “Rey...I’m not sure I can fill that emptiness you feel. To be the father that you need. But...I would like to try.”

The change in Rey’s expression was instant. She brightened, almost glowed under the light of the setting sun, and Ben realized that this...her being happy like this...was going to be worth the sacrifices he would have to make to be in her life.

“Yes,” Rey beamed. “I’d like that. I’d like that very much.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man, Ben can't catch a break. So much drama, although I hope the chapter ended in a more hopeful, if not better note than the first one. But if you really think about it, Ben would have to lie. So there can only be more drama ahead.
> 
> Hope to see you guys in the next chapter once I get to posting it. For now, I see myself updating "Groom" before this one. But as always, we'll have to wait and see.


	3. Tides

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey invites Ben to spend a weekend afternoon with her family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First off, I would like to thank everyone who commented, gave kudos, subscribed and bookmarked this fic. I am enjoying your responses so far and I am thoroughly inspired, so much so that I stayed up late for a few nights, and I actually managed to outline everything, all the way up to the epilogue! And unless anything changes, we're looking at 23 chapters for this fic. And since I already have the outlines ready, I will be able to provide a steady stream of updates from here on out. I hope to update at least once every 1-2 weeks so be sure to bookmark and subscribe so you can get email notifications.
> 
> Important note: To those who had read the previous chapters, I initially referred to the Huxes' company as "Palpatine-Hux Enterprises" when I should've just put it in as "First Order Enterprises." I've corrected that and it will now be known as such from here until the future chapters.
> 
> And to those wondering, yes, there will actually be a number of chapters written through Rey's POV in the future.
> 
> I would also like to thank my beta readers Reylofsymbolism and Mary_West for taking the time to look over what I have written and providing a fresh set of eyes to the story. I wouldn't have caught on to those mistakes and details if it weren't for you guys so thank you!
> 
> Some chapters in the story will have images embedded into the story because it's part of the plot This particular chapter is the first one to have such images. I thought it would be great to add more realism and to show actual pictures aside from the images I try to pain with words. Please let me know if you encounter any errors with the images such as the image not loading or broken links, and I will do my best to fix it ASAP.
> 
> Tags have been updated so as always, check for possible squicks before diving in.

Ben slowly opened his eyes to the sound of his message notification. Still bleary from sleep, he reached out for the phone on his nightstand and pulled himself up to a sitting position. 

The message was from Rey.

Ben had to smile. Rey loved using stickers and emojis. It was endearing, really, although he did notice that she seemed to act younger than her 18 years. He blamed it on her grandparents. He had seen the way the Huxes treated Armie and Tallie. Brendol and Maratelle were very controlling and barely allowed their children to make their own decisions even when they were already adults, so he doubted they treated Rey any differently.

He scrolled back a bit to look at their previous exchanges. They had been messaging each other for almost a month after exchanging numbers at Tallie’s funeral reception. It had been awkward at first, but exchanging messages had become a daily routine until Ben came to look forward to his daughter’s correspondence.

Their exchanges weren’t really deep or meaningful. At least not yet. They mostly talked about mundane things like the weather and things that happened as they went through their day. Rey also made sure to remind him to eat and drink, and that was the part he liked the most, that someone was looking out for him. It’s been that long since someone actually cared, and he knew her concern was genuine because she had made note of his erratic work schedule and would message him just as he was starting the day.

Ben scrolled down to Rey’s latest message and started typing his reply. There were no calls between them. They weren’t at that comfort level yet. At least with this, he can pretend he was texting a new friend instead of the daughter that had been kept secret from him. He would still be involved in her life and at the same time protect himself from the Huxes.

He finished typing his message and hit send. Rey’s replies were quick.

Ben blinked at her reply, suddenly feeling nervous. He didn’t exactly want to talk to her yet, but when he remembered how happy she had been when he told her he would like to try to be a father to her, he sighed and texted her to call.

His phone rang mere seconds after he had sent his message.

“Hi Ben!” Rey greeted. She sounded as cheerful as her texts. He started to relax and smile. “How are you? Have you had breakfast yet?”

“I’m fine. And no, I haven’t eaten yet. I’ll be cooking bacon and eggs in a bit though. And you? What’s the breakfast menu for the day?”

“Oatmeal again. Although they did add some raspberries. Which is a nice change, I guess.”

Ben twisted his lips. He could hear the disappointment in Rey’s voice. He knew the Huxes didn’t care for dining together. They avoided it if possible, and so Rey always had breakfast in bed. They had a chef, but Maratelle was the one who decided what Rey ate.

“What I wouldn’t give for a piece of chocolate right now,” Rey groaned. “But Grandmother still thinks I need to lose weight. I haven’t had any sweets in like forever.”

“I don’t know why Maratelle thinks that. You looked good when I saw you.” If he were to be honest, Ben thought Rey was on the thin side. Maratelle had been a model in her younger days and was obsessed with beauty and fitness. One look at her, and Ben knew she had work done to try to retain her youth. It wasn’t working out well for her though.

“Thanks, Ben.” He could sense her smile as she said that. There was a brief pause. “Anyway, I actually called to invite you over to our beach property this coming Saturday. We’ll be spending the afternoon there. It will be fun!”

Rey was trying to be upbeat. He could tell she wanted him to be just as excited as she was. But he was hesitant. This wasn’t just messaging anymore. He was really going to be involved in her life.

“Will your grandparents be there?” 

“Yeah, but they’ll be too busy with some snooty executives they are inviting.” Rey let out a breath. “I can never understand why they spend so much money trying to impress people they don’t even like.”

Ben had to smile. If there was anything he had learned from the weeks of messaging Rey, it was that she was actually pretty humble for someone whose family belonged to the 1%, and lived as simply as she could. He thought Tallie may have had something to do with it, and he quickly pushed the sadness away.

“It’s a business transaction to them,” Ben offered as an explanation. “They need to forge those connections and that usually involves a lot of power tripping and ass kissing.”

“Ugh, you’re right ,” Rey groaned. “Grandfather and Grandmother have been trying to teach me how to act around these people, but it’s difficult for me to pretend to be someone I’m not.”

“You don’t have to do that, you know. Pretend. Just be yourself. You don’t have to bend over backwards to please anyone, especially not people you don’t like.”

“I guess. But like you said, it’s a business transaction. I’ll have to do it eventually if I’m going to work at First Order Enterprises for the rest of my life.”

She sounded sad and resigned. He could tell that like her mother and her uncle, she was going to have to set aside her own needs and dreams and obey her grandparents. It made him sad just thinking about it. She may be an adult, but Brendol had an iron grip on his descendants’ futures.

“Anyway,” Rey segued, her voice cheerful again. “What do you think? Will you be able to join us?” 

“I...I don’t know, Rey,” he offered, although he really didn’t want to go. “It’s still crunch time at work and I have to put in some extra hours.”

“But you're free on Saturdays and Sundays, right?” Rey pointed out, and Ben remembered how closely she had kept track of his schedule. “It won’t be until Saturday afternoon anyway. You can sleep in before going. I promise I won’t message or call.”

“But I like it when you message me,” Ben blurted out, then clamped his lips shut. He hadn’t planned on saying that at all.

Rey was quiet for a bit. Then, in a small, somewhat shy voice, she said, “I like it when you message me too. I like that you check up on me and reply right away. Uncle Armie’s almost always busy and my grandparents prefer sending servants to check on me for them.” She paused again, and Ben felt another pang of sadness over Rey’s situation. It reminded him too much of the life Tallie had led.

Rey sighed, then in a more spirited voice, said “I’m really grateful that you find time for me, Ben. I know you’re very busy these days so I really appreciate what you’re doing for me.”

Be closed his eyes and leaned heavily against the headboard. After a moment of contemplation, he let out a breath. “Do I need to bring swimwear?”

* * *

It was an hour past noon when Ben arrived at the Huxes’ beach front property on the outskirts of the city. He had been to a couple of the family’s numerous houses, but not this one, so he had to ask Rey for the address so he could put it into his GPS.

Grabbing his bag of clothes, he stepped out of his sedan and handed his keys to the valet. Ignoring how the man frowned at his car, he proceeded up the short steps of the white, two-story house, his flip-flops noisily clapping against the marble tiles before he stopped to look around. As he expected, the house was filled with expensive furnishings, and he felt like he should be wearing a tux when walking around here instead of his printed beach shorts and white button-down shirt.

“Ben!”

He looked up at the sound of Rey’s excited voice and saw her lean over the second floor’s varnished wooden railing. She waved enthusiastically at him before she ran to the stairs, her sandals loudly tapping against the wood. She stopped only when she was about an arm’s length from him.

“I’m so glad you’re here,” she said breathlessly, her smile even brighter than he remembered when he saw her last. She made one step forward, her arms lifting slightly, but she withdrew and clasped her hands in front of her.

Ben quickly took her in. She had her hair in a ponytail, and was wearing a white one-piece swimsuit, with a tan sarong wrapped around her slim waist. She was a little bony in some places though.

“Oh, I brought something for you.” He reached into his bag, took out a bar of chocolate and handed it to her. 

Rey’s eyes widened, her mouth agape as she reached out for the chocolate but hesitated. “I can’t. Grandmother’s going to throw a fit if she finds out.”

“I won’t tell if you won’t.” Ben gave her what he hoped was a reassuring smile and held the bar closer to her. 

He watched Rey hesitate for a moment, before she grabbed it and quickly tore open the wrapper, breaking the bar and popping a piece in her mouth. She closed her eyes and moaned in delight, and Ben suddenly found himself thirsty.

“Uh...do you know where I can get some water?”

“We have drinks over where Uncle Armie is,” Rey said between bites, her words muffled and her cheeks round from stuffing chocolate in her mouth. 

“You don’t have to finish all of it in one go.” Ben chuckled.

Rey shook her head as she finished the last of the bar, waiting until she had finished swallowing before talking. “I needed to destroy all the evidence. Besides, it was delicious. Thanks, Ben.”

Ben’s smile widened. This was only their second face-to-face conversation but she was already endearing herself to him.

“You still have evidence smeared across your mouth,” he pointed, and she quickly used the back of her hand to wipe the rest of the chocolate before using her sarong to wipe her hand.

His eyebrows rose. He had belonged to high society once, and the girls were usually a stickler for etiquette. Heck, they probably wouldn’t scarf down a chocolate bar the way Rey did. 

“Whooo. Now, I’m thirsty too,” Rey commented, then motioned for Ben to follow her. 

Rey hurried to the large, open doors which led out to the beach, Ben following close behind in long strides. He slowed down when he saw a canopy tent a short distance away, where Brendol and Maratelle were entertaining a few guests seated around a table with a bounty of food and drinks.

Ben started to walk towards the tent when he felt Rey tug at his sleeve. “Where are you going? Uncle Armie is that way.”

“I need to greet your grandparents. It would be rude not to.”

“They’d think it’s ruder if you disturb them. Besides, they already know you’d be here.” She tugged on his sleeve again, and he reluctantly followed her to a line of large umbrellas over sunbeds. Armitage was lying down on one of the sunbeds, hands behind his head, his unbuttoned Hawaiian shirt not matching at all with his neon shorts.

“All that money and you still can’t afford a fashion consultant,” Ben joked as he approached. Armitage grinned and reached out bump fists with him. Ben had been in communication with Armie the past month, and they were slowly becoming friends again.

“This is my style, man.” Armie spread his hands as if to brag as Ben took a seat beside Rey on the opposite sunbed. “And don’t you know? Chicks dig the neon shorts. It’s a display of color. Like a peacock, ready to seduce a mate.”

“Ew.” Ben and Rey said in unison. They looked at each other for a moment and laughed, the tension Ben had felt earlier finally dissipating.

“You guys thirsty?” Armie asked. Ben nodded and so did Rey

Armie reached out for a bell on the small table between the sunbeds and rang for service. A waiter in white quickly arrived by their side. “Beer for myself and the gentleman and lemonade for the lady, please. Oh, and Ben, have you eaten yet?”

“I had lunch on the way here,” Ben admitted, and scooted further into the sunbed so he could stretch his legs a little. Rey unfolded her legs and stretched as well.

It didn’t take long for the drinks to arrive. Armie started talking about his job and the conversation between him and Ben quickly moved to the stock market. Ben may no longer have the wealth his family used to have, but there were still financial things that interested him.

A few minutes into the conversation, he heard Rey huff beside him. He turned and saw her staring up at the umbrella above them, her feet bare feet moving back and forth on the white sand. He didn’t even recall seeing her take off her sandals. 

“Looks like we’re boring your daughter out of her mind,” Armie laughed and chugged down the rest of his beer before setting it aside. “Sorry, Rey. I know you were excited to spend time with Ben. You can have him now.”

Rey looked up at Ben. He could see the color rise up from her neck and to her cheeks before she looked down and tucked her hair behind her ear.

“Is there anything you’d like to do, Rey?” Ben asked gently. “Playing frisbee? Swimming? Burying your uncle in the sand and putting sand boobs on him?”

“Hey!” Armie reacted, and Rey laughed. She had a beautiful laugh. It reminded him of Tallie’s, although her had been deeper. Rey’s was more dainty, almost musical, and it made Ben take in a deep breath.

“I’d like to go out snorkeling,” Rey said, pointing to the boat at the end of a dock. “We can take the yacht to a good spot.”

Armie frowned. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. I don’t exactly have sea legs.”

“Please, Uncle Armie?” Rey pleaded, leaning forward while clasping her hands on her knees. “It’ll be a great bonding experience.”

“Alright, alright.” Armie sighed and rose to his feet. Ben stood up as well, and thought how easily Armie was swayed. He guessed he had a soft spot for his niece in much the same way he did with his sister. Armie had let Tallie get away with so many things.

Rey hurried to the dock ahead of them, Ben following close behind although he had to stop from time to time so Armie could catch up. He clearly wasn’t too eager to get on the boat.

“Man, the Hux women got you whipped.” Ben grinned, patting Armie on the shoulder. 

“Just you wait.” Armie wagged a finger at him. “Mark my words. Rey will eventually get under your skin and you won’t be able to say no to her too.”

“Doubt it, but okay.” Ben shrugged before carefully walking up the yacht’s gangway.

* * *

Armie was down for the count even before the captain anchored the boat not too far from shore. Ben waited for a bit until Rey emerged from the cabin.

“I should’ve listened to Uncle Armie. He gets seasick easily.” She smiled sheepishly. “But I already gave him some Dramamine so he should be okay later.”

Ben nodded and put on a pair of dark sunglasses before he turned to sit on one of the cushioned benches at the rear end of the boat. Rey put on a wide brim sun hat and approached him, but did not sit. Instead, she moved closer to the yacht’s edge, hands on the railing as she peered into the water. Ben watched the water’s reflection play on her face for a moment before he rose up to stand beside her.

“The water’s always so beautiful in the summer,” Rey remarked without looking at him.

“Yeah. Beautiful,” Ben agreed, eyes momentarily on Rey before he looked down at the clear, turquoise water. It wasn’t very deep, and he could see the coral reefs down below. 

Rey pulled back from the railing to look at him. “You seem pretty used to the sea.”

He shrugged. “My family used to go on boating trips on yachts like this. My mom and I would go snorkeling all day while my dad went fishing.”

The memory of his parents made his chest heavy, and he had to shake his head to bring himself back to the present.

Rey didn’t seem to notice his sudden shift in mood. “Did your family own a beachfront property too?”

“Yeah. A long, long time ago.” Ben put his hands in his pockets so Rey wouldn’t see his fingers balling into fists. He wished he didn’t, but he remembered it like it was yesterday. He was barely ten, and very confused as to why his father was on TV, wrists bound in cuffs as he was ushered through a crowd of cameras and microphones. It wasn’t until shortly after his mother died that his uncle explained to him all of Han Solo’s crimes--from embezzling to fraud, money laundering, illegal smuggling--almost every white-collar crime in the book. Their properties and assets had quickly been seized, and once Han made bail, he had hurriedly fled the country to parts unknown, leaving his wife and his son to fend for themselves. It had caused a media frenzy back then. The Solo-Organa family had never been able to recover from the scandal.

Rey was quiet for a moment before she looked up at Ben again. “I actually know about what happened to your family. Uncle Armie told me a little about it when I started asking about you. The rest, I looked up on the internet.”

Ben turned his head away, thankful that he was wearing sunglasses. He didn’t think he could look Rey in the eye right now.

“Was that why you thought you couldn’t take care of me and my mom?” she asked. 

Ben’s nostrils flared, his fingernails digging into the skin of his palm. He didn’t want to lie, but he couldn’t tell Rey the truth either. 

“I...honestly don’t want to talk about it, Rey,” he said as gently as he could. That wasn’t a lie. He really did want to move on from the topic.

“Okay.” Rey nodded, her face now taking on a look of concern. “But you’re doing okay now, right?”

Ben grunted. He knew for a fact that he and Rey had different standards when it came to being able to support one’s self. 

“I do alright,” he answered, and offered a small smile. “I’m the lead video game concept and 3D artist at H-Inu Studios.”

Rey swiftly pulled back from the railing, her eyes wide and her mouth agape. “What?! H-Inu Studios? As in the studio that made Euthalia?”

“Yup.” Ben’s smile widened when Rey’s hands flew to frame her face. “Do you play the game?”

“Do I play the game?” Rey parroted, disbelief and awe riddling her voice. “I’m absolutely  _ obsessed  _ with that game! I’ve been in the Euthalia fandom since the game was released a few years back. I even make fanart and fanfic and stuff.”

Ben let out a small laugh. Rey was still very much a kid, and her excitement was infecting him. “You should show me your fanart some time.”

“Yes, yes, of course!” Rey nodded vigorously, her sun hat waving in time with her movements. “Wow. I can’t believe I actually know someone from H-Inu Studios. And I’m related to him!”

Ben’s smile faltered a little, and he turned his gaze to the horizon. Rey did too, a quiet calm settling between them.

She tugged at his sleeve a moment later. “The water looks great. We shouldn’t waste it by just standing around.”

He watched her pad off to the cabin, and he moved to the shade to wait for her to re-emerge. It didn’t take long for her to climb out with the gear, though she was having trouble carrying all of it in her arms. 

Ben moved to take the gear off her hands, and he walked off to set it on the bench closest to the swim platform. He turned back to Rey and froze. She had her back to him and was taking off her hat and her sarong, revealing the long legs hidden underneath. But what grabbed his attention the most was her unexpectedly shapely rear. Her bathing suit was modest at the front, but it was backless and cut in a way that left her buttcheeks partly exposed.

She turned around and he quickly pretended to arrange the snorkeling gear, tensing when he heard her approach.

“We should put on some sunscreen before we start,” she said from beside him and opened a tube of lotion.

Ben put his hands in his pockets and shifted his weight from one foot to the other. He tried to avert his gaze but found himself constantly sneaking a peek as Rey smeared lotion over her exposed skin. He swallowed when she bent over to do her legs and feet, her butt high up in the air. It was almost impossible to look away.

Rey stood up straight again then held up the tube to him. “Can you help me with my back? I can’t exactly reach it.”

“Uh...uh...y-yeah. S-Sure.” Ben felt like his brain had short-circuited, even more so when she turned her back towards him and moved her shoulder-length hair to one side, exposing more of her skin.

He swallowed and squirted the lotion in his hand, cursing inwardly when some of it spilled. He took a deep breath and began to rub the sunscreen on her, taking great pains not to tremble as his hands moved over her neck, her shoulder blades, and down her spine. She was far from petite, but she was much smaller than him, and his hand practically encompassed the small of her back.

He finished as fast as he could and stepped back. Rey faced him fully and beamed up at him, which made him relieved he was wearing sunglasses. Otherwise, she would surely have seen his panicked eyes.

“Thanks, Ben. Your turn.”

He blinked. “What?”

“Your turn to put sunscreen on,” Rey pointed out. “Take off your shirt and rub the lotion on. I’ll help you with your back.”

Ben felt himself brimming with nervous energy. Of course, he would have to take off his shirt. It would be silly not to, but his fingers shook as he unbuttoned it before clumsily shrugging it off his shoulder and tossing it to the bench.

He looked at Rey and saw her standing still, her wide eyes moving up and down his body. “Holy crap, you’re massive!”

Ben briefly shut his eyes behind his sunglasses. He hoped to God she meant his chest.

Without a word, he squirted an ample amount of lotion in his hand, rubbing himself down as Rey watched. Once he was done smearing every inch he could reach, he wordlessly handed her the tube and turned around, all the while praying she would make this quick.

The first contact of her fingers against his skin made his eyes fly open. He could’ve sworn there was electricity wherever she was touching him, and he had to stop himself from shivering. It didn’t help that she was taking a while.

“D-Do you...ah...go to the gym, Ben?” she asked, her voice casual, though he definitely heard her stutter.

“Not really. I have weights at home. Though I do jog in the park every morning on my days off. Have to keep myself fit since I sit down over 8 hours a day at work. Need to be as fit as a fiddle especially since I’m not getting any younger.” He had spoken quickly, the words tumbling out one after the other, and it was a miracle he made sense at all.

Rey didn’t respond and kept rubbing until her palm stopped at the middle of his back. Her fingers lingered, and he had to clear his throat before he felt her lift her hand away.

He took off his sunglasses and set them aside before turning around to smile at her. He hoped she couldn’t see how flushed his face was. “What are we waiting for? Let’s go watch some fish.”

Rey nodded and put on the snorkeling gear alongside him. They sat at the edge of the swim platform before putting on their fins, and once done, they slipped gently into the water.

“The water’s great!” Rey declared, treading beside Ben as she looked around. Just like him, her mask was still perched atop her head, though her hair was already wet and framing her face. “Isn’t this great Be--Oh my God!”

“What?” Ben spun around before turning to her again. “What is it?”

“Your ears!” she squealed, and Ben quickly felt blood rush up to his face. He would’ve reached up to hide them better under his wet hair if he didn’t need his arms to tread the water.

“Yeah, they’re big, I know,” he said, pretending that it wasn’t a big deal, even though it had always made him self-conscious. It was the reason he kept his hair long. “Your Uncle Armie used to call them Dumbo ears.”

“Well,  _ I _ think they’re cute.” Rey grinned. He wasn’t sure he believed her.

Still grinning, Rey put on her mask and snorkel before swimming off. Ben did the same and followed her until they were swimming side by side, turning their heads every which way to take in the sights of the corals and the sea life surrounding it. Rey would often grab Ben’s arm and shake it to get his attention before pointing at one fish after the other, and he would do the same to her. It reminded him of the times he snorkeled with his mother, but this was a vastly different experience. With his mom, he had felt happy and loved. With Rey...he wasn’t sure. But he would be lying if he said he didn’t enjoy her company, especially when they put their heads above water so she could excitedly talk about everything they had seen.

“This is fun,” Rey said after they had been in the water for about an hour or so, masks pulled over their heads. “This is actually my first time snorkeling this far out to sea.”

“Really?” Ben grinned. That would explain her child-like excitement.

“Yeah, my grandparents wouldn’t let me go swimming without a chaperone so I usually swim by myself near the shore. The boat captain doesn’t count. And Uncle Armie...well..” Rey made a silly face that made him laugh.

Smiling, Ben watched as Rey lowered her gaze, long, wet lashes glistening under the afternoon sun. 

“I know I already told you this,” she said softly, “but I’m really glad you’re here, Ben. That you want to be part of my life. It means a lot. Without you and your texts, I probably wouldn’t have been able to cope well after losing Mom.”

Ben wasn’t sure how to respond to that, so he remained silent, the soft whispers of the warm breeze and the lapping of the gentle waves providing an ambience of calm around them.

Rey looked up at him again, no longer smiling, brows knitting up to her forehead. “You still want to, right? To be my dad?”

The worry...the desperation etched in her face practically tore at him. 

“I want to be involved,” he reassured. That much was true. Brendol may not have given him too many options, but he had ultimately been the one to make the choice. Rey still looked unsure, so he added, “You deserve to be taken care of. And I really want to make up for lost time.”

A small smile crept up her lips, and she looked up at him again and nodded. “Me too. I want to make up for the years without you. So I hope this won’t be the last time we see each other.”

“It won’t,” he said, and meant it. This time, Rey’s smile was bright, dazzling under the sun’s rays, and he understood now why Tallie had given their daughter that name.

Then, her smile faded, and her face turned serious. Intense. Her hazel eyes--his eyes--stared back at him, and he could see flecks of green along the brown and amber. It was then that he realized how close they were to each other. He could even feel the brush of her fingers and fins as she continued to tread in front of him. 

Armie’s voice cut through the air, and Ben quickly moved away from Rey to look at the boat.

“Oy! You two better get back up here before you get wrinkles on your wrinkles!”

“Guess the Dramamine worked,” Rey commented and started swimming to the yacht. She stopped about halfway through and looked back. “Ben? Are you coming?”

Ben blinked. “Yeah. Yeah, I’m coming.”

Rey nodded and quietly swam to the platform, Ben lagging behind. Armie reached down to help his niece up the short ladder before handing over her sarong. “So, how’d snorkeling go with Ben?”

“It was great!” Rey said, taking off her gear and wrapping the sarong around her hips again. “Ben and I saw a lot of cool fish! We even saw Dory and Nemo. You should’ve gone with us, Uncle Armie. It was a lot of fun, wasn’t it, Ben?”

“It was.” Ben did his best to put on a genuine smile as he took off his fins and mask. “You missed out on a lot, Armie.”

Armitage frowned. “You two should be thankful I wasn’t there, or I would’ve been puking in the water you were swimming in.”

Rey made a face. “Eeeew!”

Ben’s face mirrored Rey’s. “That is an image I did  _ not  _ need in my head right now. Or ever.”

Armie laughed boisterously, hands on his hips before he managed to get himself together. “Anyway, we should head back to shore. I’m sure both of you are hungry from all that swimming. I could certainly use a bite myself.”

“I’ll go change,” Rey said and scurried off to the cabin, throwing one last smile to Ben over her shoulder before disappearing behind the door.

“I take it you’ve really bonded with her,” Armie said, pulling Ben up from falling deeper into thought.

He shrugged. “I think so.”

“Good.” Armie gave him a clap on the back. “Because Rey has clearly formed an attachment to you. She still gets sad about Tallie from time to time, but you gave her something to look forward to. You got this whole fatherhood thing in the bag.”

“Here's hoping you're right.” Ben flattened his lips and once again fell into thought, not even acknowledging Armie excuse himself to go to the cockpit as he remained dripping where he stood, eyes locked on to the closed cabin door a short distance away.

Yes, he thought. He hoped he did have what it takes to be the father Rey had always wanted. That he was enough to fill that void in her life. But as his mind swam through the memories of her skin against his fingertips, as he remembered the way she had smiled and laughed with him, he began to worry about the odd feelings bubbling up in his chest.

He quickly pushed the thought away and grabbed a nearby towel to dry his hair. These were just paternal feelings. It was just strange and unfamiliar to him, that’s all. These are the feelings a father had towards his daughter. That’s all this was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So. Something is brewing inside Ben. He's trying to convince himself it's nothing. But is it really? Stay tuned for future chapters to find out!
> 
> This will be slow burn by the way. I want to fully establish Ben and Rey's relationship before we lead up to something deeper and darker. But it's not super slow burn though, as there are only 23 chapters in total.
> 
> Also, people who are new to this fic have probably seen it in the first (edited) chapter. but I actually made a new manip for this story. It's more a book cover than a manip or moodboard though. It is an homage to V.C. Andrews, the author that influenced me the most growing up and started my foray into writing darker themes.
> 
>   
>    
> 
> 
> The web of lies and deceit spun by the Huxes will eventually lead Ben and Rey's relationship to descend into immorality. Obvious in the back is a blue butterfly, and while the painting is just a concept, the blue butterfly will actually be integral to the plot.
> 
> Thanks again for reading guys! Looking forward to interacting with you in the comments section!


	4. Games

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben bonds with Rey over her favorite video game.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know things are slow guys, but I just really want to make their relationship development slow and convincing. Plus, there are important plot points and revelations here. Either way, I hope you enjoy this chapter :)
> 
> Thank you as always to my betas Reylofsymbolism and Mary_West for helping me polish my work!

“Oh ho, ho, you left yourself open again!”

“Not gonna let you get me!”

“You wish! I’m kicking your butt again!”

“Not if I can help it!”

“Can’t you two just play quietly? I can’t hear myself think.”

Ben smirked at the annoyance in Armitage’s voice but didn’t bother to turn. He knew without looking that he was scowling at him and Rey.

Ben stuck out his tongue while bashing buttons, giving a quick glance at Rey before turning back to big flat screen TV. She had her tongue out to the side too, both of them leaning forward from their bean bags as they concentrated on the game.

It was his fourth weekend with the Huxes including their trip to the beach, and just like years before, Ben was fast becoming a fixture in the house. Brendol and Maratelle were scarcely around, and he took great pains to avoid them. He knew the drill, so his visits were almost always pleasant. He got to hang out more with Rey than Armie though. His friend seemed more engrossed with his phone lately, preferring to sit on his niece’s bed than play video games with them.

Rey’s character was about to execute the final blow. He put on a show of attempting a defense and watched as his character fell from Rey’s special attack, the words K.O. flashing on the screen.

Rey jumped out of her bean bag and did a happy jig. “I beat you again! Ten in a row.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Ben grumbled, trying not to smile. He may have lost, but having Rey happy like this was more than enough compensation.

Rey stopped dancing and excused herself to her bathroom. Once she had closed the door, he noticed Armie, who still had his phone in hand, was looking at him funny.

“What?” Ben asked.

“You’re throwing away the game,” Armie pointed out.

“What are you talking about?”

“You’re losing to Rey on purpose, just like you did with Tallie.” Armitage walked to the front of the bed and sat on the floor beside him. 

Ben swallowed. “I’m just… a bit distracted. But it looks like I’m not the only one.” He smiled at his own segue. “You’ve been glued to your phone since last week. And don’t think I don’t notice you grinning like an idiot every time you get a text.”

Armie’s face contorted as he pursed his lips. 

Ben wrinkled his nose. “You’re doing that face again.”

“What face?”

“That stupid face you make when you try not to smile. What’s going on? And please for the love of God, smile! It’s less creepy that way.”

Armie finally broke out into a grin. “I think I found someone.” He swiped through his phone and showed Ben a picture of a pretty Asian girl with a sweet smile.

“She’s cute,” Ben admitted. “Girlfriend-material or one-nighter?” It was a question he had to ask. Armie had a string of girlfriends back in high school, most of whom left him heartbroken. Ben had been there to console him after every break up, and by the time they started uni, Armie just gave up and dated without emotional attachments.

“Girlfriend-material, definitely.” Armie leaned his back against the bed. “Dad introduced her to me. She’s the younger daughter of the CFO at Hays Mining Corporation.”

Ben rolled his eyes. “Your dad doesn’t exactly have a good track record when it comes to love. He only wants you with this girl ‘coz he thinks it’s a good business move.”

“Ben, don’t be like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like a bitter old man. Look. I know the stuff with Tallie still hurts, but you got a loving daughter out of it. We’re friends again. And you’re still young. You can still find someone.” 

“Doubt it. Besides, I’m busy,” he dismissed with a wave of a hand. Between work and spending time with Rey, there really wasn’t much room for dating. Besides, he’d rather hang out with Rey.

“I could still help you in that department,” Armie offered.

Ben shook his head vigorously. “Oh, no. _No_. You’re not gonna rope me into one of your schemes again. I practically had to run out of the restaurant from that date you set up for me last week. I still have nightmares about stiletto heels pressing against my crotch.”

“So she wanted to jump your bones and wasn’t shy about it. So what? As far as I’m concerned, you could use a bit of stress relief. When’s the last time you got laid anyway?”

Ben didn’t answer. Instead, he lay back on his bean bag and dragged a hand across his face.

Armitage nodded. “That long, huh?”

Ben sighed. “I’m done playing around. If I’m going to get back into the dating scene, it’ll be because I want to settle down. I just haven’t found the right one yet.”

“That’s because your standards are too high.”

Ben held out a finger and wagged it. “Correction. My standards are pretty simple. I want someone who is intellectually stimulating and can carry engaging conversations. Someone funny that gets my sense of humor, likes movies, video games and books as much as I do and won’t call me a dork for it. Someone I can just be myself with.”

Armie mulled over this for a moment. “In other words, you’re looking for someone like you.”

Ben nodded. “It’s natural to gravitate to people who have similar personalities. If you’re alike, you’re more likely to have a good, long-lasting relationship. It’s biology. It’s not really a conscious thing.”

“I have friends who would beg to disagree, but you do you. Although, I’m pretty sure you’ll be old and gray by the time you do find someone, and by then you won’t be able to get it up.”

“Asshole!” Ben gave Armie’s shoulder a light shove. His friend started laughing but was cut short when his phone rang.

“Oops, gotta take this. Excuse me.” Armie lifted himself up from the floor and answered the call. “Heyyyyy, Rose. To what do I owe the honor?”

Ben watched Armie walk out of the room to get some privacy. The bathroom door opened shortly after he left, and Ben turned to see Rey emerging from it. “Sorry, I took a while. Where’s Uncle Armie?”

“Oh, he went outside to talk to his girlfriend,” Ben said, and it dawned on him that this was the first time he would be alone with Rey in her room. He found himself stamping down his nervousness.

Rey looked incredulous. “Uncle Armie has a girlfriend?”

“Surprised me too.” Ben shrugged, then waved the controller. “How about it, kiddo? Ready for another round?”

“I want to play something else,” she said, walking to her shelf of games before taking out one of the cases. “It's single-player though, so you might end up just watching me play. Or you can also play to help me level up.”

“Ah, I see,” Ben grinned. “You want me to do the grunt work while you have all the fun?”

“It’s punishment for you always losing.” Rey stuck her tongue out at him and went to the console to change the game. She was on her fours, her jeans stretching and giving him an eyeful of the curve of her backside. 

He turned away, but looked back on the screen the moment the first musical notes of the game hit. “Euthalia? _Again?_ ”

“Yep. The one and only.” Rey plopped back on the bean bag beside him and handed him the controls. “I told you, this is my favorite game from your studio. Now, go grind for me.”

“As you wish, princess.” Ben smiled and took the controller, ignoring the slight shiver down his spine when he felt Rey’s fingers brush against his. He turned his eyes to the TV, moved to the character screen and raised an eyebrow. “You’ve been leveling up Cressida and upgrading her more than others.”

“She’s my favorite character in the game,” Rey declared. “I love her design, from her blue hair to the different shades of blue on her costume. Blue’s my favorite color you know.”

“Oh _really_?” Ben asked, eyeing her blue shirt and looking around the shades of blue all over her room. “I could never have guessed.”

Rey was quickly able to pick up on his sarcasm and punched him lightly on the shoulder. “Stop being a dick and play for me. There’s a part in the game that I can’t seem to get past. The one with the freaky tree monsters.”

Ben chuckled, and after a minute or so of playing, said, “Blue’s my favorite color too. I was the one who designed Cressida and pitched her personality and backstory.”

Rey perked up. “ _Really?_ That is so cool!”

Ben’s smile widened. It felt good to have people appreciate his work. “What is it that you love about her?”

Rey tapped a finger on her chin as she thought. “She’s smart for one thing. I love her sass and sarcasm. She’s funny too and has some of the best dialogue and interactions with the other characters.”

“Yeah. I spent a lot of meetings with the story group about her dialogues,” Ben said, slaying tree monsters one after the other. “More than just her design, I actually put a lot of myself into Cressida’s character.”

Rey nodded, then grew quiet for a few moments. “Actually...Cressida reminds me a lot about me too. She does have good qualities, but she isn't perfect. She is insecure. She puts the needs of others over her own to the point that others either run her life or take advantage of her. She can also be impulsive, so in a way, she does need someone to watch what she does.”

Now it was Ben’s turn to be quiet. What she said described him to a ‘T’. And yet, Cressida was also _her_. And that part about people running her life and watching her every move…

“Reminds me of your grandparents,” he mumbled. “This whole dictating everything and deciding how their children should run their lives.”

Rey didn’t respond. Instead, she quietly pulled her legs up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them.

“I understand.” Ben paused the game and put the controller down. “When making Cressida I also added in some of my own experiences and things I saw in other people.” His lips flattened as he tried to ignore the memory of Tallie, and how she had let her parents run her life. Tallie’s inability to make a decision and stand up for herself and their relationship had been the catalyst for their break-up. 

“Like what?” Rey pursued after he had grown quiet.

He let out a deep breath. He needed to tread carefully now. “Your uncle gave up his dreams of being a game developer because your grandparents wanted him to take over the company. And I...my uncle raised me after my mom died, so he practically micromanaged my life. He was a feared and respected tenured professor before he retired. He wanted me to be his teaching assistant and ultimately become a professor like him, and the only reason I was able to live the life I wanted was because I mustered the courage to leave at 18.”

Rey gave it a moment before she spoke again. “You don’t like your uncle very much.”

Ben lowered his eyes. “Not all of us have a fun and loving uncle like Armie. Uncle Luke didn’t hurt me or anything, but he was never affectionate. Growing up, I was scared of displeasing him, so I did everything to gain his approval. Looking back now, I think I was just afraid he would abandon me like my dad.”

Rey became quiet again. Ben’s eyes widened when he realized what he had just said. Rey had been told all her life that _he_ had abandoned _her_. The can of worms was opening…

“I’m not going to abandon you, though,” Ben reassured, then mentally prepared himself for the lie he would have to make. “I know I...left you and your mom before. But I promise, that’s not going to happen this time.”

Rey nodded silently. She didn’t seem convinced.

Thinking quickly, he smiled at her and said, “Enough of this gloom and doom talk. How would you like to have a tour of my office some time? I can show you some stuff we’re working on with Euthalia: Book II. At least, the parts I’m allowed to.”

The sadness in Rey’s face quickly evolved into excitement. “ _Really?_ ”

“Yes, really. Just let me know when you’re free.”

“I’d love to go! I’m free Wednesday afternoon. I’ll have the chauffeur drive me to your office after class. Just give me the address.”

Ben frowned. “You don’t have your own car?”

Rey sunk deeper into the bean bag, her eyes on the ceiling as she said, “I actually don’t drive. Grandmother thinks women should be driven around by men while Grandfather thinks women shouldn’t be allowed to drive at all.”

Ben grimaced. The Huxes had such archaic ways of thinking. “We should change that. I’ll teach you how to drive and help you get your license. Once you have that, your grandparents will have to let you have your own car.”

Rey brightened. “I’d like that.”

Ben smiled back. Rey seriously needed a bit more freedom in her life. And if he could help with that in some way, then he was willing to do what he could.

“Oh! Wait.” Rey sat up straight and pawed at her bed until she managed to grab her tablet. “I keep forgetting to show you this, but I actually made some Euthalia fan art. I’m fairly active in the fandom on Reddit and twitter.”

Rey handed him her tablet, and Ben took it, expecting to see some decent work, but he was blown away with what he saw. “Rey, these are really good!”

Rey’s smile was tight. “You’re just saying that coz you’re my dad.”

“No, really, it’s so impressive. It’s practically professional-level.” He wasn’t lying, and the more he swiped through the images, the more impressed he became. Rey knew how to use colors, lighting and composition, and not just to come up with beautiful art. “I can really feel the emotions in your work. It’s very evocative and tells a story. I wasn’t even this good when I was 18. Did you take lessons?”

Rey shook her head. “Mom taught me how to draw growing up, and the rest I learned on YouTube. I know she wanted to pursue interior design, but Grandfather didn’t want her to. He says art is useless and that there’s no future in it, which is a load of bull. I mean, _you_ are living proof that there is.”

“Believe me, with your skills, you could easily land a job.” He paused to think, eyes still on Rey’s artworks. For someone with little to no formal training, she had a professional polish to her work that Ben had rarely seen. With some mentoring, she could only get better. He might even do it himself. “Why don’t you send me some of these, and I’ll show it around the office? We have a paid internship program as well as freelance work that can be done remotely. You’d be a great fit.”

He saw Rey break out into a wide smile, but her face quickly fell, and she looked away. “Thank you, but my grandparents will never agree. They think fan art is 'silly kid stuff' and I should be paying more attention to my studies.”

“They don’t have to know. If not the internship, then I’ll have you take on a bit of remote work.” Ben lowered his voice and leaned in to whisper. “It’ll be our secret.”

Rey cheeks reddened, and in a voice that was as soft as his, whispered back, “Our secret.”

Ben pulled away a little, looking down as Rey smiled up at him. She had her shoulder pressed against his, and he couldn’t bring himself to move away.

Yes, this was going to be their secret. They deserved to keep a few things to themselves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've already written up to chapter 6, and will likely only take a break once I reach chapter 9, since my outline there is a bit disorganized. Expect frequent updates. As usual, please don't forget to bookmark and subscribe so you can receive updates. Don't be shy about leaving your thoughts in the comments. Would love to hear from you guys. See you in the next one!


	5. Metamorphosis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben and Rey's lives continue to change as they grow closer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still building up to something. Hope you guys continue to be with me for the ride!
> 
> As always, thanks for Reylofsymbolism and Mary_West for the beta!

Ben swiped his key card to unlock another set of doors at H-Inu Studios, then motioned for Rey to follow him. It was Wednesday, and he was making good on his promise to give her a tour. They had already gone through most of the building, and she especially enjoyed taking pictures with life-size statues of her favorite game characters. Now there was just one more place to visit.

He discreetly gave her another once over. Rey usually had a laid back sense of fashion, preferring function over form. But the girl who had stepped out of the Audi earlier was markedly different. She wore a bit of makeup and was dressed in designer clothes. Definitely not her usual style, and when he pointed it out, she had rolled her eyes and said Maratelle was the one who decided what she wore.

Ben continued to stare at her, a smile creeping up his lips. Rey was taking her time, turning her phone along the wall’s murals. The studio gave occasional group tours, and generally allowed video recording. However, normal tours didn’t go through these last doors

Ben cleared his throat.

“Oh! Sorry.” Rey hurried towards him and slipped her phone inside her purse. He smiled, pleased that she remembered video recording was not allowed on this floor.

“Okay. Here we go!” Ben opened the doors, and they stepped into a large room full of people working in their respective cubicles. It looked just like a regular office, except for the colorful video game posters on the walls, statues and cardboard cutouts of characters in almost every corner, and the fact that there didn’t seem to be any kind of dress code. Some employees even wore shorts and flip-flops.

“This is where the magic happens,” Ben proudly stated, leading Rey further inside. A few heads popped up to check out the visitor, though most concentrated on their work. “We’ve got animators, programmers, artists, and almost everyone else working on the same floor.”

“I thought people would have their own individual offices,” Rey remarked.

“Not here. We try to foster an environment where everyone is immediately accessible to each other. It’s good for teamwork and productivity.” He led her to a cubicle and put his hands on the empty chair in front of it. “Here’s mine. Please, have a seat.”

Rey smiled and started to ease herself into the chair when two men rose from the next cubicle over: one tanned with graying black hair, the other dark-skinned with tight black curls.

“Who do we have here, Ben?” The man with graying hair smiled. “Giving your girlfriend a tour of the office?”

“She’s not my girlfriend,” Ben chuckled, even as his fingernails dug into the backrest of the chair. “Rey, this is Poe Dameron, one of our lead programmers. And this is his partner, Finn Storm, also a programmer. Poe, Finn, this is my daughter, Rey.” He was careful not to include the fact that she was a Hux. That way led to more questions.

Finn almost choked. “You never told us you have a kid.”

“Yeah. And ain’t she the prettiest little thing.” Poe winked, and Rey lowered her head shyly. Ben was glad she couldn’t see his face right now. “How could you keep such a lovely creature hidden away from us?”

“The fact that you flirt with anything that moves is exactly why I didn’t want you to know,” Ben joked, though his voice came out sterner than he had intended as he grabbed a chair for himself. “Now, if you’ll excuse us, I’d like to continue giving Rey a tour.”

The men nodded and went back to their stations, though not before Finn elbowed Poe and called him a traitor.

Ben pulled his chair closer to Rey’s until their knees and shoulders touched. “You’ll have to forgive my colleagues. They can be really nosy.”

“That’s alright,” Rey said, eyes moving over print-outs of character designs Ben had tacked all over his workstation. “You said you were going to show me some stuff from Euthalia Book II?”

“Yup.” Ben reached over to bring his drawing monitor closer, and used his finger to navigate through the artworks. “These are the concepts that have so far made it into the game. There’s more, but I’m not allowed to show you.”

“These are all so beautiful, Ben.” Rey leaned in for a closer look. “All those armor details...I don’t think I’ll ever have the patience to do all that.”

“I didn’t either, but I eventually learned to enjoy it. It’s therapeutic.” He moved to the next artwork, then hurriedly swiped away. “Oops! You weren’t supposed to see that.”

Rey seemed stunned as she whispered. “Was that Aidan and Cressida?”

Ben looked around nervously. Everyone seemed busy, so he lowered his voice and said. “Okay. I’ll show you, but you have to promise not to tell.”

“I promise,” Rey said with a nod, and after a moment’s hesitation, he showed her his artwork of Cressida, being bridal-carried by a golden-haired male character with flaming red armor.

Rey’s hands flew to her mouth as she squeaked. Ben smiled at the disbelief and happiness in her eyes as she struggled not to giggle. Aidan was the main villain of the first game, and Rey’s second favorite character. He knew from her fan art that she shipped them.

“Does that mean Aidan will fall in love with her in Book II?” Rey whispered, eyes glued to the screen.

Ben nodded. “They’ve already worked it into the story, although there were already hints of it in the first game.”

“I  _ knew _ it!” Rey could hardly contain herself. “Some idiots on the internet called us crazy for picking up on those clues. I can’t wait for this to be released, so we can rub it in their faces.” She turned to him, her face bright with excitement. “Are they going to end up together?”

“Er…” Ben pulled away and scratched his head. “I’m not sure, to be honest. The game will have several endings like the first one, though most of it involves Aidan sacrificing himself to save Cressida. To... you know...show how much he loved her, and so he can atone for his sins.”

All the light seemed to have gone out from Rey’s eyes, her smile fading as she turned back to the screen.

Ben shifted in his seat. “Rey? Are you alright?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. It’s just…”' She shut her eyes as though she was in pain, and when she faced him, he saw her frustration. “I don’t know what it is with the media these days. They always kill villains right after they turn their life around.”

“Well…” Ben scratched his head some more. “Aidan did a lot of horrible things. He has to atone for it somehow.”

“Doesn’t mean he has to  _ die _ .” Rey slumped in her chair “Redemption doesn’t have to equal death. You can’t really atone for your sins if you’re dead. Why couldn’t he have lived and spent the rest of his life making up for the things he had done?”

Ben grew quiet as he watched Rey sulk. She was really upset by this, and he wasn’t sure what to say. At the same time, the wheels in his head were turning...

After a while, Rey sat up straight and smiled apologetically. “Sorry for ranting. I guess I’m just really invested.”

“I know you are. And you have every right to feel upset. But canon is what you make of it. You can either accept it or ignore it and continue to share content with others in the fandom.”

“You’re right,” Rey nodded, then picked up the drawing pen. “Is it okay if I did a quick sketch? I’ve always wanted to use a tablet monitor.”

“Knock yourself out.” Ben opened a new file for her, then moved to give her more space and sat beside her in companionable silence.

* * *

Ben parked his sedan in his usual spot under a large weeping tree in the Huxes’ property. It was a little ways off from the mansion’s entrance, but he’d rather not risk Brendol and Maratelle’s derision over his car, even though they’re almost never around. They usually spent weekends at the country club.

He grabbed his sling bag and checked the contents. His phone and tablet were inside, but most importantly, the blue velvet box was there, and he felt his heart skip a beat. It had been an impulsive purchase--one he made when he went to the mall after meeting with the story group a few days back. He hoped to God Rey would like it.

Zipping up his bag, he hurried towards the mansion, surprised to find Rey waiting for him by herself.

“Hey,” he said as he walked up the steps. “Where’s your uncle?”

“On another date,” she giggled, leading Ben inside the marbled halls and up the wide staircase which led to the bedrooms. “I think it’s his third date with Rose. I haven’t met her yet, but Uncle Armie seems serious about her.”

Ben pursed his lips as he stepped inside Rey’s room, leaving his shoes on the rack beside the door. He was happy for Armie, but he couldn’t help but be concerned.

“What should we play today?” Rey wondered out loud, rummaging through her shelf. “I don’t feel like playing Euthalia right now. So how about another fighting game? Or a first-person shooter?”

Ben cleared his throat. “Actually, there’s something I’d like to show you.”

He sat on one of the bean bags and patted the other for her to sit. She walked over and plopped down, waiting as he took out his tablet and swiped around before handing it over. Then, he watched the play of emotions on her face--surprise, elation, then suspicion, followed by dejection.

“Well?” he asked. “What do you think?”

“It’s umm...it’s beautiful fan art of Aidan and Cressida,” she offered.

He grinned. “That’s not fan art. It’s canon.”

Rey’s jaw dropped. “Wait...you mean they  _ actually _ end up together? Like, he’s alive and everything?”

Ben nodded. “Creating concepts for their love story is one of my tasks now. I pitched what you said about redemption and atonement to the story group, and they’ve agreed to include a happy ending with Cressida and Aidan together. Not sure yet if that will be canon for the third installment, but at least that will be one of the endings in Book II.”

“Oh my God,” Rey whispered. Her voice was about to break. “Ben...thank you.”

“No, thank  _ you _ . I wouldn’t have thought to bring it up to them if you hadn’t been so passionate about it.”

Rey’s smile was dazzling as she swiped to look at the other artworks. Ben took great pleasure in her delight with each piece she saw. “I wish I could post these in the Euthalia Subreddit and to my twitter. God, people’s brains and hearts are going to explode!”

“I’m pretty sure that’s gonna happen. But of course, we gotta keep mum because--”

“The NDAs, I know. You told me.” Rey continued to smile, then looked worriedly at Ben. “Aren’t you going to get in trouble for showing me these?”

“Not unless you tell on me. Besides, it’s worth it just to see you smile.” Ben’s own smile widened when he saw the color rise up to Rey’s cheeks. “Oh, and a few of my colleagues and superiors have seen your work, and they’re really impressed. If you want, I can give you some work starting next week. You can work from home and the pay’s pretty good too.”

Rey blinked at him, but didn’t say anything. She seemed to have frozen in place.

Ben frowned. “Rey? Is something wrong?”

“I...I’m okay.” She glanced down at the tablet. “It’s just that...all this...it’s too good to be true. I just hope my grandparents won’t find out. I can’t even tell Uncle Armie.”

“Why not? I’m sure he’ll support you.”

“He would, but it’s my grandparents who have the final say. He won’t be able to do anything once they’ve made a decision. Just like with Mom.”

Ben felt his heart constrict from painful memories, and it took a moment for him to speak again. “It’s different now, Rey. I’m here. I’ll support you all the way.”

“I know.” Rey sighed, her voice taking on a lighter tone. “My life has changed since you came along. I’m so much happier now. I don’t feel so alone anymore.”

Ben started rubbing his thumb and forefinger together. He actually felt the same way, but didn’t say. Instead, he pointed out, “But you have your family and friends.”

“Yeah, but I can’t share my hopes and dreams with them. My friends are respectful, at least to my face, but I know they think it’s silly and childish. My family...well you know how they are.” Rey leaned further into her bean bag, head resting against the foot of her bed. “Except for Mom, they’ve never been affectionate. And as much as I know Uncle Armie loves me, he mostly keeps me at arm’s length. The most affection I got from him was at the funeral, and the occasional pat on the shoulder.”

Ben nodded. He did notice that about Armie, and he guessed it was a consequence of being Brendol and Maratelle’s son. The Huxes always frowned at displays of affection and emotions. Ben’s jaw clenched when he remembered Rey breaking down at her mother’s funeral, and how her grandparents had scolded her for it. Brendol and Maratelle were so selfish and self-centered, they had denied her right to openly grieve.

“Ben?”

“Yes?” He turned and saw her pull her knees up and wrap her arms around them. Like she wanted to curl into a ball and disappear.

“Are you...happy?” she asked in a small voice. “Like, happy spending time with me?”

“Of course, sweetheart.” The endearment rolled off his tongue. It was what his father used to call his mother. If there was one good thing about Han, it was that he was affectionate to Leia. “Why wouldn’t I be? You’re fun to be around. I always look forward to weekends with you.”

Rey smiled shyly and looked down at her feet as she wiggled her toes on the dark blue carpet.

That was when Ben remembered. “I still have one more thing for you.” He rummaged through his bag and gave her the velvet box. “Here.”

Rey stared at it for a moment before taking it. She was clearly nervous, and so was he. “W-What’s this?”

“Open it.”

She did. Ben held his breath as he watched her eyes, her lips parted with a soft gasp.

“Ben...it’s so beautiful,” she whispered, running her finger along the silver chain of the necklace before settling it over the blue butterfly pendant at the end.

“I saw it and thought of you,” he said, twiddling his thumbs a bit. “Did you know Cressida means ‘butterfly’?”

“No, I didn’t,” Rey answered, her eyes still on the necklace. “Although I really should’ve researched that.”

“I was the one who named her,” Ben said. His nerves showed no signs of calming down. “Butterflies are associated with great change. A metamorphosis if you will. I just thought that us reconnecting...it's a great change in both our lives, but I hope it can metamorphose into something beautiful.”

“It already is.” Rey’s eyes were sparkling as she took out the necklace to admire it. “That’s so sweet, Ben. It makes this gift all the more meaningful. Thank you.”

Ben ducked his head and ran a hand across his hair. “I know it probably can’t compare to all the jewelry your family can afford--”

“It’s not about that,” Rey quickly interjected. “Jewelry never meant anything to me. They’re just sparkly baubles used to impress others. But this...the meaning behind it makes it priceless.” She was quiet for a moment, before she turned to him and said, “Can you help me put it on, please?”

Ben raised a brow at her. “Right now?”

“Yes.”

Ben felt warmth spread across his chest. He had been really scared she wouldn’t like it.

He took the necklace from her and sat up straighter, stiffening when she turned her back and moved her hair to one side to expose her neck. He was suddenly thrown back to the yacht, when she had him rub sunscreen on her back.

Swallowing hard, he put the necklace on her, his fingers shaking so much that he had to try a few times before he was able to lock the clasp. He started to move away, but his gaze remained on her neck, his lips suddenly tingling.

Rey rose to her feet and padded to her full length mirror. He could see her smile dreamily as she touched the pendant. After a few moments, he got up to his feet and stood behind her, taking a few steps closer until her back almost touched his chest. 

Almost without thinking, he reached out to put his hands on her shoulders. She jumped a little, eyes wide and looking at him through the mirror. He squeezed gently to calm her down as they stared at their reflections, the gold in their hazel eyes highlighted by the afternoon sunlight spilling in from the windows.

He dipped his head a little and said, “It looks good on you.”

He saw Rey swallow and nod. “It does.”

A moment of quiet settled between them. Comfortable, yet strangely uneasy. There seemed to be something thick hanging in the air, unseen and unspoken, yet there all the same. 

Rey suddenly turned and wrapped her arms around him, nearly causing him to lose his balance. “Thank you, Ben. I’ll wear it forever.”

It took a moment for him to absorb what was happening, and he put his arms around her to hug her back. Rey’s embrace tightened, as though she didn’t want to let him go, and he didn’t want her to. It had been so long since he last had any physical intimacy, let alone a hug.

Ben planted a kiss on the top of her head. It just felt natural to do so. Rey looked up at him and graced him with the brightest of smiles, so he leaned down to kiss her forehead as well, lips lingering before he pulled back. She was still smiling, their arms still around each other, and he felt his heart swell.

He was just being affectionate. They were both so touch-starved, and he needed to compensate for the years he wasn’t able to watch her grow up. To give her all the love and affection from a father that she had missed out on. 

There was a knock at the door, and they separated just before it opened. Armitage poked his head in. “Hey, you two! Done playing?”

Instead of answering, Ben asked, “I take it your date went well?”

“Oh, super.” Armie entered the room and smirked. Ben knew right away that his friend had gotten laid, but he wasn’t about to voice that out in front of Rey, so he just rolled his eyes.

Rey hurried to her uncle. “Uncle Armie, look what Ben gave me!”

“That’s nice, honey,” Armie smiled, only giving the necklace a cursory glance before clapping his hands and rubbing his palms together. “Anyway, who wants pizza?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sprinkling in breadcrumbs here and there. Some elements will come back in an important way in future chapters.
> 
> Thanks again for reading guys and feel free to sound off in the comments section. I always do look forward to hearing what you think. It's the highlight of my day and keeps me writing! If you haven't yet, don't forget to bookmark and subscribe so you can be up to date whenever a new chapter is posted.


	6. Drive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben teaches Rey how to drive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should really wait before I post this, but I figured I'd spoil you guys with an early update.

Ben drove through the gates of the university campus, a bossa nova mixtape playing from his car stereo as he glanced around. The sidewalks were still packed with students, some giving him curious, if not condescending looks as he passed by. He knew his car probably offended their rich sensitivities, but he had since stopped caring.

He made the turn which led to the main building, just as he had done almost every day since he started teaching Rey how to drive. He had adjusted his schedule to accommodate hers, and Rey had made sure the chauffeur didn’t pick her up anymore. She also made sure the driver didn’t tell her grandparents. Armie, thankfully, was supportive and covered for them.

Ben drove around a large fountain, craning his neck for a glimpse of Rey. Usually, she would be sitting on the steps with her nose in one of his high fantasy books. They shared a love for the genre and had swapped books--him introducing her to the classics while she introduced him to YA novels.

It didn’t take long for him to spot her. As with every school day, she was dressed fashionably, but this time, she was standing and waving. She didn’t exactly look excited to see him though. There were two girls beside her--a pale blonde and a dark-skinned girl with fancy dreadlocks--also wearing designer clothes. 

He stopped the car in front of them, tugging at the collar of the white shirt beneath his gray sweater, and combing his fingers through his hair before getting out of his sedan. It wasn’t his usual style, but he dressed up so as not to embarrass Rey. She hadn’t commented on his clothes or anything, but he took the initiative anyway.

He approached Rey, beaming when he saw she was still wearing the necklace. He hadn’t seen her take it off since he gave it to her.

“Hi, sweetheart.” He lifted his arms a little, and Rey went in for a hug. They had been greeting each other like that for a while now, and after planting a quick kiss on the top of her head, Ben let her go and acknowledged the two girls with a nod. 

“Ben, these are my friends, Kaydel Ko Connix and Jannah Calrissian,” Rey introduced. “Girls, this is my dad, Ben Solo.”

“Good afternoon, ladies.” Ben smiled and politely shook Kaydel and Jannah’s hands, the two girls squeezing and holding on to him a little longer than he would have liked.

The girls giggled, biting their lower lips as they eyed him up and down. Then, the blonde girl, Kaydel, said, “Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Solo. Your daughter has told us  _ all  _ about you.”

“She actually wouldn’t shut up about you,” Jannah chimed in.

“Really?” Ben put his hands in his pockets and looked at Rey. She had her face turned away, but he could see she was blushing.

Then, Kaydel elbowed Rey’s arm. “You weren’t lying when you said your dad was hot.”

Rey’s jaw dropped, her gaze flitting from Ben to her friends, who were both stifling their giggles. “Sh-shut up, Kaydel! I didn’t say that.”

“Yeah, you did,” Jannah refuted, a wide grin on her face. “I was there too!” 

Ben cleared his throat. “Well, girls, I think I need to steal my daughter away for now. It was nice meeting you.”

After another nod at the girls, he put his arm over Rey’s shoulders and led her to the driver’s seat before going around to slip into the passenger’s side. He could hear the girls saying  _ Bye, Mr. Solo _ in a singsong voice, but he ignored them as he put on his seatbelt and helped Rey with hers.

They drove off. Music still blared inside the car, so Ben turned it off so as not to distract Rey. “Have you prepared all the paperwork for your driver’s license? Because if you haven’t, I can take the day off again to help.”

“It’s fine,” Rey shook her head, eyes on the road as they exited the campus. “I have everything in order. I just need a few more driving hours and to pass the tests at the DMV. I should get my temporary license soon.”

Ben stared at her. He could tell by her voice that she was a bit upset. He had some idea why, but he wasn’t sure how to broach the subject.

After a moment, Rey sighed. “Look. I’m sorry about earlier. Kaydel and Jannah... they tend to tease a lot. Sometimes inappropriately.”

“It’s all right,” Ben said, looking out the window. “Although I don’t know why you lied to them about me being hot.”

“I didn’t lie,” Rey blurted out. Ben glanced at her and saw her cheeks had turned pink. He could feel his own cheeks grow warm too, and he felt his chest puff up at the thought she found him attractive. 

He quickly dismissed the feeling and moved on to a safer topic. “Have you decided what car you are going to buy?”

Rey finally smiled. “I wouldn’t mind getting a car like yours.”

He scoffed. “I don’t think your grandparents would like it if people saw you driving around in an old sedan. I’m already pushing it by giving you lessons in this.”

Rey shrugged. “Yeah, but I’d rather not get a luxury car. It’s all for show. And that’s not me.”

“I know it isn’t.” And he was damned proud of her for that. “You’ll find the right car for you. I’ll be there to help you get the best deal.”

He saw the twinkle in her eyes, even though she wasn’t fully facing him. “I’d like that. I’d also like to buy it with my own earnings from the work you’ve been giving me. I might have enough for a down payment soon.”

Ben smiled. Rey had been doing impressive work for the studio, and he made sure she was well-compensated. He had also taken to mentoring her during the weekends. “Look at you, being all independent and stuff.”

“I’m not a kid anymore, Ben.” Rey rolled her eyes then stopped at a red light, tapping her fingers on the steering wheel before looking at him. “Although...you’re right. I have never been this free and independent. Not until you came along.” Her features softened, her expression radiating with warmth. “I’m really glad you agreed to reconnect. I admit, I did hate you when I was younger...for leaving Mom, but she always told me good things about you. You were only teenagers. We all make mistakes when we’re young.”

Ben felt as though another barb had struck his heart. The urge to clear his name and tell the truth was strong, but it was drowned out by his desire to keep her in his life.

After a beat, he asked “How about now? Do you still…feel that way about me?”

“No.” Rey shook her head as she widened her smile. “It’s actually quite the opposite.”

Ben returned her smile, and he spent the rest of the drive in high spirits.

* * *

“You seem a lot chipper these days, Ben,” Poe commented.

“Yeah,” Finn agreed. “You’ve been smiling a lot. It’s weirding me out.”

Ben put down his phone, a smile still plastered on his face as he leaned back on his chair. Rey had just sent him another meme. She had been helping him navigate through her generation’s humor, while he had been sending her dad jokes. He did it to annoy and tease her, and she would always reply with annoyed anime GIFs.

“Hey. Ben. Earth to Ben.”

“Huh?” Ben blinked and looked up to find Poe and Finn standing beside his cubicle. He had actually forgotten they were there. 

“You’re staring off into space again with a stupid grin on your face,” Finn pointed out.

Poe’s eyebrows rose to his hairline, his lips forming a small ‘o’. “Oh, I know what this is. I think Benny boy here has finally found himself a girlfriend.”

Ben felt heat licking at his cheeks. “No. I haven’t.”

Poe snorted. “Come on. I’ve seen that look before. That’s the look of a man  _ in love _ .”

Ben shot up from his chair so fast, it almost toppled over. “I’m not in love with her!”

“Jesus, Ben!” Finn stepped in front of Poe as they backed off. “Poe was just teasing. You don’t have to bite his head off.”

Ben took in deep breaths, his shoulders heaving as he did. He looked around and saw people staring, and he had to fight the urge to tell them to mind their own business.

He managed to calm himself down after a few moments. “Sorry, Poe. I’m just…” He trailed off when he saw the clock on the wall. “Oh, shit! I gotta go.”

“Off to pick up your daughter again?” Finn asked.

Ben nodded and stuffed some of his things into his sling bag before hurrying out.

“Say hi to Rey for me-- _ Ouch! _ ”

Ben quickened his steps, knowing without looking that Finn had just elbowed Poe in the gut, but he couldn't care less. 

It had been a week since Rey got her temporary driver’s license, but Ben still picked her up from uni every day so she could hone her driving skills. He knew he would have to stop eventually once she got her own car, so he made the most out of it by getting to know her better. They bonded over shared interests and he guided her through the city so she could take in the sights and sounds. She had been cooped up most of her life. There was so much she was yet to see and experience, and he wanted to be there when she did. 

He drove his sedan into the university gates, tapping his finger to music as he wondered where he should take Rey next. The park? The pier? Aquarium? Art gallery? The movie theater? There were so many options to choose from; so much of life he could share with her...the possibilities were practically endless. But they had time. He should make up a list with her.

He made a turn around the fountain, and once again, craned his neck to look for Rey. He had arrived later than usual, but they should still have enough time to go somewhere before her 8 o’clock curfew.

He found her by the steps, on her usual spot in front of the main building, but she hadn’t seen him. She was talking to someone--a young man with slicked back black hair and a pale complexion. Rey seemed animated, and the young man--the  _ boy _ \--was clearly clinging on to her every word.

Ben gripped the steering wheel tight and did his best to slow down his breathing. Realizing his teeth were clenched, he loosened his jaw a bit before stopping the car in front of the steps. He took another moment to compose himself before he got out of the car and marched towards her.

“Rey,” he called. It almost sounded like a bark. Still, she smiled when she turned and saw him, greeting him with her usual hug.

“Ben! I was starting to get worried. Dopey here offered to drive me home if you didn’t show, but I knew you would.”

Ben said nothing, though he kept his eyes on the boy as he pressed his lips on Rey’s head, kissing her longer than usual before pulling back. Rey let go of him, but he kept his arm around her shoulder. “So, Rey...why don’t you introduce me to your friend?”

He sensed Rey tense against his fingers, but she kept her smile as she made introductions. “Ben, this is my classmate in Economics, Dopheld Mitaka. His dad is a board member at First Order Enterprises. Dopey, this is my father, Ben Solo.”

Dopheld held out a shaky hand to Ben. “How do you do, sir? Your daughter has mentioned you a lot.”

Ben remained stone-faced as he reached out and squeezed the boy’s hand. Dopheld winced and discreetly flexed his fingers once he pulled back.

“Funny,” Ben said, his voice flat. “My daughter never mentioned you,  _ Dopey _ .”

Rey let out a nervous laugh. “Dopey and I have known each other since we were kids. He sometimes hangs out with me and the girls.”

Dopheld nodded, then looked up at Ben. Whatever he saw made his lower lip quiver. “Uhm, anyway, I’m glad your dad’s here now, Rey. I’m just...I’m gonna drive home. See you tomorrow.”

Dopheld nodded at both of them before scurrying away like a mouse. Ben continued to glare until he felt Rey push his arm off her shoulder.

“Ben, you scared him.”

“ _ Good _ ,” he said as he opened the sedan’s passenger's seat to let himself in.

“Good?” Rey parroted, frowning at him as she entered the driver’s side and put on her seatbelt. “Dopey’s nice. I’ve known him for like forever. He’s a good friend.”

“He seems to think of you as more than that,” Ben muttered. He sounded like a petulant child, and he hated it.

Rey let out a breath. She didn’t start the engine just yet, and instead, stared at his car stereo. The song from earlier was still playing, and the upbeat tempo was starting to irritate Ben.

Then, he felt Rey nudge him with her elbow. She was smiling mischievously. “Don’t tell me you’re going to be one of those overprotective dads who won’t let their daughters date.”

Ben spun his head around so fast, he almost got whiplash.  _ “You’re dating him?!” _

Rey rolled her eyes. “Of course not. He’s nice, but he’s not my type.”

“Oh.” Ben’s head seemed to cool down a little as Rey started driving out of the campus. After a while, he asked, “So, what is your type?”

She shrugged. “Just...you know. Not Dopey I guess. Also, looks didn’t really matter to me back then but now, I think I prefer someone...taller.”

Ben felt the disconcerting need to stretch his legs as much as the cramped confines of the front seat would allow.

“What about you?” she asked, eyes still on the road. “I know Mom had the blonde hair and blue eyes most men find attractive.”

“I’m not most men,” he corrected.

From the corner of his eye, he saw Rey smile. “Then what is your type? Blondes? Redheads?” She paused. “Brunettes?”

_ That _ was actually at the tip of his tongue, but he managed to stop himself. He shook his head. What the fuck was wrong with him? 

“I don’t have an exact type,” he said after a time. “What matters is what’s on the inside. There needs to be a connection. A spark. And I know other people prefer someone with a different personality than theirs so it won’t be boring, but that’s not for me. I prefer a long-term relationship where you’re both generally on the same page. I think it’s easier to share your life with someone like that.”

“Oh.” Rey stopped at a red light. “Was that what you and Mom had? A connection?”

Ben let out a deep breath. Rey was starting to ask the harder questions. “Sweetheart, I know you want to know more about what happened between me and your mom. It’s understandable but…”

“It’s too painful to talk about it?” she supplied.

“Yeah. It wasn’t an amicable split.” That much he could offer.

She nodded. “It’s okay if you don’t want to talk about it.”

“Thanks, princess.” He tried his best to smile, even as heaviness weighed in his chest.

Desperate to distract himself, he asked, “Is it okay if I turn up the music?”

“Sure. Go ahead.”

He reached over to increase the volume a bit and let the rhythm wash over him until he was swaying gently to the music. Rey was bobbing her head to the tunes too, a delicate finger tapping on the steering wheel as she started driving again. 

“What genre is this again?” she asked, nodding towards the stereo.

“Bossa nova,” Ben supplied. “This mixtape belonged to my mom. She listened to it non-stop. Drove me nuts.”

“And yet, you’re listening to it.” Rey grinned at him before quickly growing somber. “You miss her, don’t you?”

“Every day,” he said, closing his eyes as he let memories of Leia dancing with Han to the music wash over him. He had already opened up to Rey about his mother’s death. It was another thing they had in common--losing their mothers to the same illness.

“I miss Mom every day too,” Rey mumbled as she let out a shaky breath. “I still go to her room sometimes… It still feels like she’s there. I guess as long as we have things to remember them by, they’re never really gone.”

Ben could only nod in agreement. His chest felt heavy again, and at the same time lighter, knowing he was not alone in his pain. 

After a while, traffic began to ease up, and Ben sat up straighter. They would soon be in the suburbs, but he didn’t want to go to the mansion just yet.

“How about we go someplace else first? I mean...actually stop somewhere for some fun,” he said, his mind once again conjuring a list of places he and Rey could go to. “We could go to the movies. ‘A Simple Favor’ is still showing, and I hear good things.”

“So...you and me...to the movies? Like, just the two of us?”

“Yeah. We could get popcorn and sodas too. Or if you prefer another movie, I can look up what else is showing.”

“I…” Rey’s driving had slowed down considerably. “I don’t know, Ben.”

“No?” He tilted his head to have a better look at her. She seemed apprehensive, her fingers curling so tight around the steering wheel, her knuckles turned white. “How about the pier then? You mentioned you haven’t gone there since you were a kid. I hear there are new rides and attractions.”

“Ben, I…” She shook her head. “I have a curfew.”

“I know. And I promise we won’t take long,” he assured. “Unless you want to go someplace else?”

“It’s not that.” Rey pulled her lower lip in to bite it as she eased in to another traffic stop. “I...I just don’t think it’s appropriate. You and me...going out. People might get the wrong idea.”

Ben felt as though he had just been doused with ice-cold water. Did she think he was asking her out on a date? 

_ Wait. _

“That’s not...I didn’t mean…” He scrambled to string words into sentences, but it was nearly impossible. He felt embarrassed, panicked, dejected, and disgusted with himself all at once, and he needed to take a moment to gather his thoughts. “I just...wanted to spend more time with you. As your father. But you’re right. I’m sorry. I keep forgetting you’re a Hux and a Palpatine. I only see you as you. I didn’t take media scrutiny into account.”

He chewed on his bottom lip and waited for Rey to say something. She didn’t. At least, not for a long while.

“It’s okay, Ben,” she finally said, her voice so small, he could barely hear her over the music, but he didn’t bother to turn the volume down. At least it helped drown out the awkward silence between them.

The atmosphere in the car was still uncomfortable by the time Rey parked in front of the steps leading up to the mansion. As was his habit, he reached over to help Rey take off her seatbelt, but she pushed his hands away.

“It’s fine. I can do it myself.”

Ben recoiled as if he had been slapped, and he concentrated on his own seatbelt, even as his fingers refused to cooperate. 

Just when he thought things couldn't get any worse, he looked up at the mansion and saw Brendol Hux standing by the door, arms crossed and face hardened with barely contained fury.

“What’s Brendol doing here?” Ben hissed. “Isn’t he still supposed to be at the office?”

Rey didn’t answer. Ben turned and saw she had grown pale.

“Rey?”

“I…kinda told him yesterday about me learning to drive,” she admitted, hands clasped on her lap as she squirmed in her seat. “I asked if I could borrow one of the cars so I can drive to and from uni, so I wouldn’t have to interrupt your work. He got furious, and I panicked and I...told him about you helping me get my license.” She shook her head and looked fearfully at him. “I’m sorry, Ben.”

“It’s all right, Rey,” he said, doing his best to sound braver than he felt. “I’ll deal with this.”

After taking a few breaths, Ben got out of the car at the same time as Rey, and they slowly walked up the steps towards the house.

Rey was the first to approach the old man. “Grandfather, I--”

“Go to your room,” Brendol snapped. Ben winced when he saw Rey almost jump before nodding quietly and hurrying inside to do as she was told. “As for you, follow me.”

Ben nodded and followed the old man deeper into the mansion, and he quickly realized they were heading to the study. Their last conversation there after Tallie’s funeral had been unpleasant to say the least, and now he could feel prickles of cold sweat on his skin.

He swiped his palm across his forehead and stepped inside after Brendol. The study seemed more oppressive than the last time, the shadows looming even darker with the setting sun and the limited illumination from the antique desk lamp. Brendol took his seat behind the desk while Ben stood a few feet in front of it. He clasped his hands in front of him to prevent them from shaking.

“You know what you’re here for,  _ Solo _ ,” Brendol started, making Ben grimace. That last name was a painful reminder of his father and his family’s ruin and Brendol was using it as a whip.

When Ben didn’t speak, the old man began his tirade. “Who told you that you could teach my granddaughter how to drive? And in that junk car of yours of all things! Do you know what kind of scandal that would bring? And do you really think I’d be so stupid as to not find out? People are starting to talk in the university. Parents of students who see your car every time you pick her up. Do you know how embarrassing that is for me?!”

That seemed to snap something inside Ben, and he snarled. “That’s all you care about, isn’t it? Not Rey’s needs, not her right to be independent. It’s all about you and your precious reputation.”

Brendol’s face turned even darker. “Be careful with your words, young man.”

“You’re keeping Rey in a prison,” Ben argued, hands now unclasped and gesturing as he spoke. “You did that with Tallie. You dictated everything she did until she couldn’t even decide for herself. Rey is an adult. She should be allowed some freedom, even something as simple as learning how to drive.”

“Her life isn’t any of your business,” Brendol fumed.

“It  _ is _ my business!” Ben fired back. “I’m her father. And I’ve been following through with your demands. I haven’t told her a thing about the lies you and the rest of your family have told her.”

Brendol paused for a bit, then dropped his voice. “Are you blackmailing me, Solo?”

“No.  _ No. _ ” Ben shook his head vigorously. That was not his intention at all. “I’m just saying I’m doing everything I can to give her what she needs. To be a father to her. The least you could do is give her a little more freedom. Allow her to grow and not treat her like she’s a helpless child.” 

“Watch your mouth,  _ boy _ .” Brendol pointed at him with a thick finger. “I could destroy you. You know I could.”

Ben almost laughed, but kept it in as he shrugged. “I lost everything a long time ago. I’ve got nothing to lose.”

Brendol shot out of his chair. “GET OUT!”

“Gladly.” Ben raised his hands and stormed out of the study. Brendol was practically foaming at the mouth, but Ben wasn’t afraid. He was too angry to be afraid.

He was still shaking by the time he got back in his car, and it took several minutes of deep breathing for him to finally calm down. If Brendol thought he could threaten him to get his way…

Then, Ben’s eyes widened with dawning horror. Brendol was right. He  _ could _ destroy him. Maybe not in terms of social standing, but with something far more important and personal.

_ Rey. _

All the strength suddenly left him, and Ben slumped heavily against the car seat. Brendol could have threatened to keep Rey from seeing him. He could’ve used his granddaughter as a pawn, and he would’ve been able to keep him in line. The thought made Ben nauseated, and he thanked his lucky stars he hadn’t pushed the old man in that direction. He had to be more careful next time…

His phone rang unexpectedly, shaking him from his thoughts. He grabbed it from the dashboard and answered immediately when he saw who it was.

“Rey?”

“Ben? Is everything alright? I hear Grandfather yelling at the servants downstairs.”

“Yeah, I’m fine. I umm…” Ben leaned forward and pressed his head on the steering wheel, shutting his eyes tight before continuing. “I kinda told Brendol off. About him not letting you drive, keeping you prisoner, treating you like a child... Needless to say, that riled him up. He practically kicked me out of his study.”

Rey didn’t respond. Ben had to pull the phone back to check if she was still on the call. She was. “Rey?”

“You...s-stood up for me? Against Grandfather?” she stammered. 

“I did. And I’d do it all over again in a heartbeat.”

Rey grew quiet again. Even Ben had to pause at how passionately he had declared that.

“No one’s ever really stood up for me before,” she whispered. She sounded awestruck.

“I’m here now, sweetheart,” he said softly. “And I’ll always be here for you. I’ll be here for you for as long as you’ll have me.”

A few moments of silence passed as Ben waited for Rey to speak. Then, he heard her sniffling. 

“Rey? Are you okay?”

“Y-Yeah, I’m fine,” she answered. Her voice was breaking, but somehow, he could sense she was smiling. “Thank you, Ben. That means a lot. You have no idea how much.”

Ben felt the heaviness from earlier lift away until he found himself smiling again. And just like that, his day became infinitely better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is a slow burn, but I'll do my best to make the agonizing wait worthwhile. I'm still writing the next chapter as we speak, and it's a very long chapter. I'm not even half-way through it yet! Lots of stuff are going to happen so be sure to bookmark and subscribe so you can get notifications of when I post the next chapter.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much to Reylofsymbolism and Mary_West for beta-reading this fic! They've not only helped me in terms of grammar, they've also given me advice and helped shape the story into something even more beautiful. So thank you so much from the bottom of my heart!
> 
> For more info and updates on this and my other fics, go to [audrina-andrews.carrd.co/](http://audrina-andrews.carrd.co/)


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